as to whether it be of oak or chestnut, was without doubt, erected a thousand years ago, and continues perfectly sound; and there are other edifices in the old world which contain equally old timber in perfect preservation. But there has lately been imported into England, some specimens of ancient timber, which by contrast take away the dignity of age from the European ancients. During the excavations which have been so perseveringly prosecuted under the direction of Dr. LAYARD at Ninevah, some timbers of considerable size, of the wood of the Mulberry, have recently been discovered, which are said to be as solid and firm as they were when placed in the position from which they are now withdrawn. But when were these venerable ancients submitted to the axe? At least seven or eight hundred years before the christian æra; and they are now some twenty five or six centuries old! We are not aware that any specimens of old timber can at all bear comparison to these, for in none of the ruins of Egypt or of India, that the researches of the many indefatigable travellers of the last hundred years has produced, was there found any wood work that, from its position and appearances, indicated an age coeval with the structures themselves

THE CURCULIO OR PLUM WEEVIL.-Much has been written about this destructive insect, and many plans have been adopted to prevent its ravages on the Plum, and other smooth skinned fruits. Some prefer paving under the trees; others planting in hog or poultry yards; many use salt, ashes or sulphur, scattered over the ground around the trees.

The first method has been adopted by Mr. LONGWORTH, and others, in Cincinnati, with eminent success, but in the country it is not found so effectual. The other modes, so far as my observation and inquiries extend, have not

been successful.

The plan I pursue is a very simple one; Destruction-shaking off the insects from the trees on sheets, in the morning and evening, and kill ing them. This method was proposed many years ago, by DAVID THOMAS, one of the best practical horticulturists in Western New-York, and has been adopted by me from the recommendation of my friend Doct. MOSHER, for the past eleven years. Since that period, I have

saved my plums seven years out of the eleven; the frost destroyed them in blossom four years. I have never failed to secure at least half a crop, on an average, and on some of the trees more than they should have been allowed to bear. To make this plan effective, the plum trees should be planted by themselves, near the house or barn, and if in a paved, or hard smooth yard, so much the better; if in grass, keep it mowed down close; gather up the injured fruit as it falls, and throw it to the pigs. When the trees are young, a sudden blow with the hand will bring down the insects; when old, saw off a lower branch, leaving a stump of 3 or 4 inches, to be struck with a mallet, for the same purpose.

It may be objected that the crop is scarcely worth this trouble, but it requires less time than would be supposed by those who have not tried it; a few minutes in the morning and evening will be sufficient to protect a dozen or two of trees. I have now 36 in bearing, and I find the trouble less than I anticipated. Those the frost spared this spring are now loaded with fruit.

The curculio commences its ravages when the plum is first formed, and continues until the latter end of July. During all that period, in fair weather, they should be shook off early in the evening and destroyed. Perhaps early in the morning alone might answer. The insect flies most at night.

This "shaking system" as it is termed, has been sneered at by some who have felt disposed to be witty on the subject, but I must confess I cannot find a more practical remedy. We destroy caterpillars and many other insects found depredating on our fruit trees, and why not the curculio? To be sure it requires labor, and so does everything else about the orchard, if you want healthy fruit trees and good crops. For my own part, as an amateur cultivator, the care of fruit trees has always been to me a delightful hobby.

To watch their growth from year to year— to cultivate, prune, and train them-to observe the effects of experimental treatment in culture, in grafting and budding-to gather and test the first fruits of new or famous va rieties-and to be enabled to present to friends. splendid specimens of the finest fruits in their seasons, are pleasures that richly repay the toil of the amateur, to say nothing of the health

and cheerfulness, obtained by such innocent relaxations from the cares and anxieties of ordinary business pursuits.

Those who cultivate the plum for market, might possibly find the destruction of the curculio by this method, too expensive where labor is high; this, however, will depend on the value of the fruit where sold. R. BUCHANAN. Cincinnati, Ohio, Aug. 13, 1852.

RIVAL HUDSON STRAWBERRY.-This new variety is gaining a high reputation for its productiveness and general value, although not of the highest quality for the table. It is one of the best late sorts, and is fine for the market or for preserving. A correspondent of Moore's New-Yorker, says that a single neglected plant of last year's growth, accidentaily over-looked till full of ripe fruit, was found completely sur rounded with trusses of berries, on which one hundred and thirty-three ripes ones were found, proceeding from this single root.

EXTENSION OF TREE ROOTS.-We have often had occasion to point out the uselessness of digg. ing small circles of the ground about large fruit trees standing in grass. The Mass. Ploughman says, "Last week we plowed a few furrows in the road-side under apple trees that had been set but five years, and we found roots in plenty, at a distance of ten feet from the trunks of the trees."

Auswers to Correspondents.

VINE BORDERS.-S. R. You should drain your vine border thoroughly; the state of it, according to your description, is quite enough to account for your grapes never ripening. In opening your border, cut of all roots you find which have got down into the heavy soil at the bottom.

GERANIUMS.-Jane. There are three or four new varieties of the Searlet Geranium, far surpassing the old sorts. We saw this year two at THORBURN's at Astoria, named Cerise Unique, and Princess Alice, which you will find well worth attention.-E. S. Some of the best Geraniums at moderate prices, are Hoyer's Crusader, Beck's Star, Beck's Rosy Circle, Lyne's Forget-me-not, Lady Clementina, Beck's Rosamond, and Topping's Rebecca.

SEA KALE.-T. M. This is a most excel. lent vegetable, and well deserves more general cultivation. We will give an article on its cultivation in an early number.

GOOSEBERRIES.-T. S. The opinions as to mildew among Gooseberries, are various. We have seen them grown successfully, and almost as good as we ever saw them in England, upon the north side of a border, in a garden near New-York, having an open lath fence behind it, against which they were trained. These trees never suffered from mildew, although some in an adjoining garden, planted against a similar fence. but exposed to a western aspect, were covered with it, and the fruit not larger than a fox grape.

SULPHATE OF AMMONIA.-G. M. H. informs us that he was unable to obtain this article at the drug shops in Boston. It can be had of WALTER B. SNOW, 23 Market-street, Provi. dence, R I., who states that he has sold it to many in that vicinity, who have been much pleased with its operation. Price 25 cts. per lb.

CHINESE WISTARIA.-S. E. J. As you say your plant has been in a sunny exposure, it has probably been too dry at the roots. You had better take it up with care as soon as the leaves fall, replant it in good soil, and when it starts next year, keep it moderately moist.

S. M.-The Chinese Primrose, or Primula Sinensis, is one of the prettiest things you can get, to enliven your green-house in the fall and

any gardener; and the effect produced by half a dozen of them, placed amongst other plants, is magical.

Amateur.-Single Hyacintos are, in the opinion of many, equal in beauty to the double; L'Ami de Cœur, Nimrod, Grand Vainqueur, Paix d'Amiens, are some of the best, and cheapest also.

T. Edwards.-Cytisus racemosus is a more desirable green-house plant than C. rhodophne. There are two varieties of the racemosus; in one the flowers stand up erect, in the other they droop. Get the former of the two. If potted in rich compost, it will grow rapidly, but it

should be repeatedly stopped to make it bushy.

C. Janes.-The best Epacris for winter bloom are Nivalis, Impressa variabilis, and Campanu. lata alba. E. grandiflora, when well grown, is one of the most splendid green-house plants, but it does not bloom freely, as early as the others.

B. Smith. The finest of all the Andromeda family, is A. floribunda; but we have never seen it, and we do not think it is yet introduced amongst us. The shrub is most beautiful, and the bloom like bunches of Lilies of the Valley.

Notices of Societies.

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society will hold its 24th grand Autumnal Exhibition on the 15th, 16th, and 17th September, in the Philadelphia Museum buildings.

The American Pomological Congress will convene in the Museum Building, Nuth-street, below Chestnut, Philadelphia, on the 13th day of September.

The New-York Hort. Society will hold its Autumn Exhibition at Metropolitan Hall, Sept. 21, 22, 23.

The Champlain Valley Hort. Society's Full Show, will be held at Plattsburgh, Sept. 29.

Pennsylvania Hort. Society.

The stated meeting of this Society was held in the Chinese Saloon, on Tuesday evening, August 17th. Dr. W. D. Brickle, V. P., in the chair.

There has not been at any former meeting for this mouth, so fine a display of fruits as on thus occasion; the competition was unusually spirited, and the committee for awarding premiums seldom have had their powers of discrimmation so thoroughly tested. In Grapes there were some ten contributors, who presented such specimens as have rarely graced the tables of the Society. The Black Hamburgh variety was in the greatest protusion, and the White Nice most beautiful. Of Nectarines, the Red Roman, Elruge, New White and Newington varieties were shown. The dishes of Plums were very numerous, and of many varieties; among them were the Reme Claude, Flushing Gage, Magnumbonum, Gwalsh, Washington, Mirabelle, Mammoth, Bingham, and other kinds. The table of Pears was a beautiful sight; the specimens were perfect and in great variety. The apples in most instances remarkably fine, and of many kinds.

This exhibition denotes a most fruitful season, and is the harbinger of a rich display next month, at the American Pomological Congress, and the grand Autumnal of the Society, both of which will occur during the week commencing with the 1th.

The collection of plants shown were very interesting. Peter McKenzies, contained very many choice Fuchnas, Gloxinias, Geraniums, Verbenas, etc.

Caleb Cope's had several recently introduced plants, and were shown for the first time-Oldenlandia Deppei, Franciscea Villosa. Gloxinia Madame de Sombriel and G. Napoleon, and beautiful specimens of Russeli Juncea. Achimenas Venusta and grandiflora Also a cut flower of the Victoria Regia, the 8d from the same plant, and seen for the first in its second stage of growth, and a design among the flowers ornamenting the same were 3 specimens of the Cereus glaucus, (new,) and beautiful baskets of exotic and indigenous flowers. In John Lam

bert's collection were fine plants of Pentas carnea, Roses, Hydrangeas, Acacias, etc.

Mr. Buist exhibited a beautiful cut flower of the Victoria, grown in a tank at his premises, Rosedale, Kingse-sing, expressly erected for the purpose; the seed came from Mr. Cope's plant.

The Boquet designs, and Baskets, were very handsome and creditable. The vegetable tables groaned with their great weight, which contained specimens of the finest growth, exhibiting skill in the cultivators. A new variety of salad attracted attention from its speckled appearance, called the Speckled Salad of Austria-" Forelle Kopf Sa lat," raised in the open ground, from seed brought from Vienna, by Dr. J. Rhea Barton.

The Fruit Committee submitted a very interesting od interim report of objects shown to them since the last stated meeting.

Oswego Hort. Society.

The Summer Exhibition of this society was held at the City Hall, July 13, 1852. Hon. E. B. Talcott, President, in the Chair.

The display of flowers exceeded any previous exhibition in variety and quality, although somewhat less in number. Notwithstanding the lateness of the season, the ladies succeeded in presenting a profusioon of roses, in collections of 20 to 30 varieties, with marked taste in the arrangement. Messrs. Thorp & Co., of Syracuse, exhi bited 70 varieties. Accompanying these were specimens of evergreens, some of them quite new and rare.

The season has been very unfavorable for fruit. Cherries have suffered from Curculio, drouth, &c. The show of Strawberries, and other small fruits, was very limited.

List of Cherries exhibited.-Black Tartarian, Blackheart, Napoleon Bigarreau, Late Mayduke, Downer's Late Red, Florence. Graffion, American Heart, Downton, Honey, Redheart, Black Bigarreau, Sparkawk's Honey, Black Eagle, Kentish. A dish of the Florence from the garden of the Hon. A. P. Grant, deserves special notice, for the beauty, large size, and delicious flavor of the fruit. Black Tartarian and Napoleon Bigarreau, presented by Mrs. L. B. Crocker, were equal to the finest on the table. Mrs. C.'s garden, cultivated with taste and attention, always furnishes its rare and beautiful products at our exhibitions. The former variety, shown by Wm. Worden, (nurseryman,) Messrs. Fort, Carrington, the President, and others, was in great perfection. Mr. A C. Mattoon exhibited a large and excellent collection from trees newly planted,

The Black Tartarian received the premium of course; it is difficult to find a variety that will successfully compete with it.

Of Strawberries-Hovey's Seedling, White Alpine and a few others were shown, the former taking the premium. Some four or five kinds of Russet Apples were pre-euted by Hon. J. Turrill, and J. W. Judson, Esq., in sound condition, and of good flavor.

The only Pears at maturity were the Amire Joannet, by Mr Worden. Thomas, in his Fruit Culturist, says of it very truly," the earliest pear known-which comprises its merit." A branch of the Beurre d'Anjou, from a tree two years old, literally loaded with fruit, exhibited by Mr. Falmiestock, of Syracuse, attests the early productiveness

of that sort.

The next exhibition of this Society will be held on the 14th of Sept. next.

We trust the Horticultural Societies in the Union will not neglect some suitable testimonial to the memory of Mr. DOWNING, whose untimely end we have so suddenly been called to deplore. Here, where his teachings and experience in the department of Art to which he devoted himself, have conduced so much to rational enjoyment, his loss is deeply felt. There is a feeling of grief and sorrow, that a mind from which emanated so much that was really useful and beautiful, is goue from among us.

Yours, &c. J. M. CASEY, Sec'y.