remain too long in contact with it, they become opaque and never hatch at all, apparently because they are over impregnated. In the ordinary way in which salmon and trout are bred, the milt must be largely diluted with water, and the contact between the milt and the ova can only be momentary; for the streams in which these fish spawn (particularly salmon) are so rapid that the milt on exclusion must be carried away immediately.

I am quite aware that there is another theory which assumes that impregnation takes place 12 months before emission; but a very careful examination of the spawnings of minnows and lampreys (I have never been able closely to examine the spawning of the salmon,) convinces me that it is not a correct one; besides, did any one ever succeed in hatching the ova of fish which had not been allowed to come into contact with milt after exclusion; if they have, when-where-and how was it accomplished, and where is it recorded? I know that I could never succeed, although I have often tried the experiment; on the other hand, it is the easiest thing imaginable, with due care and a suitable situation, to hatch those that have been proper ly impregnated after emission. But if I admit, to avoid argument, that this theory is correct, it will not interfere at all with the artificial breeding of trout and salmon; on the contrary it would materially facilitate it. It would only be necessary to catch a female fish, with the ova ready for emission, and place these ova in clean gravel, in a box, as before described; but there would be no occasion for males. T. G. Gard. Chron.

BLANGHING CELERY.-This year I adopted the following plan with my Celery, which has answered extremely well. I planted it in a trench and left it to grow to its proper height; I then drew each plant through a circular drain tile, and stopped the top of the tiles with moss, and leveled the ground; in less than three weeks

There is, however, one fact which would almost lend one to ouppose that the ova are impregnated 12 months before emission. It is this,-the male par (salmon fry,) are at this season full of milt, and almost ready for emis sion; whilst in the females, the ova are so small, that theyrequire a microscope to see them individually, and the whole Ovary is merely like a thread; either the milt of the male is not required to impregnate the roe of the female, or the roe is impregnated long before emission. for the roe of the female par evidently requires many months to bring it to maturity; but my opinion is, if a female salmon were to ascend a river without being accompanied by, or meeting with a male, that the roe would be impregnated by the male par, which always swarms about the salmon spawning beds; and the experiments of the Duke of Buccleuch's game-keeper (Shaw,) tend to prove that this is the factthe same excess of males may be desirable that exists in a bee-hive, where there are, at least, a thousand males for one female.

HORTICULURAL EXHIBITION AT PARIS.-I went to the show of the Societie Nationale d' Horticulture de la Seine, on Saturdy, the 27th of September. It was held in a very large tent, pitched over one of the fountains in the Champs Elysees. I observed several, (what I thought) improvements in the way of conducting this fete. It lasted four days; my visit was on the second day, when certainly everything was fresh, and by the crowds I saw entering on the third day, it appeared not to have lost any of its attractions. Not only were fruit and flowers exhibited, but also vegetables, artificial flowers and fruits, ornamental flower pots, gar. dening instruments, miniature drawing-room and boudoir fountains, for keeping bouquets fresh, and even some singing birds and gold fish. The show of green and hot-house plants was very inferior to ours, but there was great beauty and variety among the common flowers, such as Asters, Dahlias, &c. Among yellow Picotees, we have nothing equal to show in England. The grounds of several were brighter and deeper colored than ours, with much more variety in the color and marking of the edgings. Indeed, if a little more regularity of shape could be ob tained, some of them would be very striking flowers. Why cannot we have in England, as they have now (Oct. 2) at Paris, abundance of Strawberries and Artichokes in all the markets? What struck me most was the great profusion of fine ripe Pears exhibited. While we can only obtain two or three good kinds at this season, there are at least eight or ten at Paris. L. H. Ipswich.-Ib.

EXPEDITIOUS Grape Growing.-Seeing, by the report of the last meeting of the Horticul tural Society, that my brother has succeeded in fruiting and ripening wood and fruit of the Black Hamburgh Grape from eyes struck in February last, I beg to state that I have got good bunches and well-swelled berries of Muscat of Alexandria, on vines struck from eyes in March last. The vines were not stopped at 15 inches high, as his were, but at eight feet, consequently the fruit is produced on the laterals. I would particularly recommend those about planting vineries, if they have the convenience, to strike their own plants in February or March, and plant them out in May or June. Some which I have treated in this way here in our new vineries, surpass two-year old plants planted in April. R. ELPHINSTONE. Ib.

DESIGN FOR A DISTRICT SCHOOL-HOUSE. We present our readers, in the FRONTISPIECE for this month, a design for a District Schoolhouse. It has at least the merit of simplicity in the plan, and as it is a paralellogram, of economy in construction. An entrance hall, or lobby, opens into a large school room for boys, upon one side, and one for girls on the other. Between these two rooms is a recitation room, which may contain a book case for the school library.

The exterior is bold and picturesque-the style a modification of the Swiss-and well adapted to many sites in our varied rural scenery. The widely over-hanging eaves afford a species of veranda shelter round the whole building.

This style is exceedingly well adapted for a wooden building, and its details are so simple that any country carpenter of intelligence could construct such a school-house without any further working drawings.

As we look upon the rural-church and the district school-house, as contributing more essentially to the architectural education of the country at large, than any private buildings, we hope, by presenting from time to time, various good models, to assist in banishing the present deformities, which pass by these names, from the face of the rural districts.

UNIVERSITY OF ALBANY.-We have great pleasure in calling the attention of our readers to the prospectus of the course of lectures on Scientific and Practical Agriculture, by Professor NORTON, which is to commence under the care of the University of Albany, on the second Tuesday in January. The lectures for the course are fixed at the low price of $10, and there are few farmer's sons, belonging to the thinking class, who would not reap great benefit from attending these lectures. In the absence of any state institution for Agricultural Education, the new University wisely takes the initiatory steps, by inviting Prof. NORTON-One of our soundest men of science in this department, to commence with a practical course of lectures in which the application of chemistry

to the culture of the soil, will be especially considered.

GREEN-HOUSES IN WINTER-Dear Sir: Very few persons appear to know the value of the sponge in a green-house. I mean for the purpose of washing the leaves of all those plants with leaves broad enough to admit of it. I took the hint some five years ago from a neighbor, the most successful plant grower I ever had the good fortune to know. His plants were always so especially fresh and healthy, that I was for a long time puzzled to understand his secret, and he always declared he had no secret. But early one morning I caught him with a pail of clean water, slightly warm, by his side, sponging off the leaves of all his choice plants. I said to myself, "I have it." I did more; I went home and practiced it. My plants soon showed by their new aspect, that I was not wrong in believing it the real secret of my neighbor's success. They began to look brighter, healthier, and grow and bloom better than my utmost care had ever been able to make them do before. And now, strangers always ask the same question when they see my plants, that I used to ask my neighbor. My answer is, 66 use the sponge." The pores of the leaf get filled with fine dust-and the plant chokes. Syringing does not wholly remove it; the sponge does. Yours, AN AMATEUR. New-York, Dec. 16, 1851.

NOTES ON PEARS, &c.-Dear Sir: I send you for publication a few notes on Pears, Plums, Horsechestnuts, &c. Having fruited a large number of pears the present season we naturally had a desire to test their merits, and in order to do so rightly, we took the Seckel, and Virgalieu, which are said to be the standards for quality. as the criterion by which they should stand or fall. Those of merit which were in season with the Seckel and Virgalieu [White Doyenne,] are as follows:

Beurre Moiret, St. Michael, Archangel, Bonne des Zees, Ananas and Doyenne Gaubault.

We grew a number of Seckels and Virgalieus on our own grounds on standard trees, and the

new pears above on dwarfs. I will not enter into a description of each, but will merely say, that my partners, Messrs. THORP. SMITH, HANCHETT, and others present, united with me, in the one opinion-namely: That they were all superior in flavor, &c.. to either the Seckel or Virgalicu. Their size is fair and they are handsome pears. We have recommended these to all amateurs and friends, and have disseminated them largely. Our dwarf pear trees are very fine and vigorous, four years old and generally covered with blossom buds; their height from five to seven feet. Another pear ripening before any of the preceding, (about 1st of Sept.,) is the Beurre Gaubault. This proved to be this season, (with us,) a sweet, juicy and luscious pear, and well worthy a place in any collection, no matter how small. The Ananas will please those who are fond of the peculiar musky flavor of the Seckel.

Thus you

In the June number of your Journal, I spoke of the Montgomery plum, and said that Mr. CARPENTER from whom I received it, called it the Montgomery Prune. He also called the other plum the Groundacre, and I gave each as his terms. He has sent out these two fruits over a large portion of Ohio, and particularly in Fairfield Co.,-under the above names. will perceive that I have not dubbed it "Prune" but gave Mr. C. as the author. In relation to the "Gundaker," I believe I have the credit of first noticing it in your journal, and if that notice has been productive of no other good, it has at least brought out its true name, which I am very happy to learn, as I hold in no little esteem the faculty some people possess of dubbing fruits with new names, as much as your correspondent from Cincinnati or any other person.

In the October and November numbers I dis

cover that you have an article on the Scarlet and Double flowering Horsechesnuts. I am happy to inform you that we have each, and have sold considerable of them. The scarlet, flowered with us the present season. Our trees are from six to eight feet high and stocky. Yours, &c., A. FAHNESTOCK. Syracuse, N. Y., Nov. 7, 1851.

PROTECTING GRAPEVINES.-A. J. DOWNING, Esq.-Last fall I laid down my grapes in my vinery on the ground, pinning them down and covering them with loose straw. During the

winter the field mice got in and injured them, eating the bark from some of them for several feet, and otherwise injuring some of the finest of them.

Will you inform me what measures to take this winter, to prevent a similar occurrence, and how shall I lay them down and protect them. Yours very truly, S. K. WILLIAMS. Newark, Wayne Co., N. Y., Nov. 11, 1851.

If you fear the attacks of mice,lay your vines on the ground, and cover them with tan-bark. ED.

BOTANICAL NAMES.-Mr. DOWNING- Dear Sir: Will you be kind enough to answer through the Horticulturist, how such words as the following are pronounced. Smithii, Fortunii, Dillwynii, Scottii, &c.; and what is the difference between the above names, and those that end with one i, in pronunciation. H. H. WILLIAMS. Cincinnati, Oct. 27, 1851.

ANS.-A singile i, final, is pronounced as Stricta venti, (pronounced vent-eye ;) but when it ends a syllable not final, it has the sound of e, as Mimulus Smithii, (pronounced Smithe-eye;) Daphne Fortunii, (pronounced Fortune-eye,) &c.

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.-Dear Sir: The literary character of the principal editor of the Evening Post, gives importance to whatever he may write upon education, its means and ends. I enclose an article from his paper of to day, in reply to some other article recommending the establishment by the state, of agricultural schools, (only these) in imitation of Prussia. This reply, unnecessarily dragging-in the method of teaching, and political lessons taught, is just as applicable to all our schools. As well say have no common schools, no free academies, no colleges, because Prussia in her schools, academies, and colleges, teaches her children to be quiet subjects of an absolute government. It

is a feint to conceal the true issue-to cover it

with a prejudice-as if our farmers must be denied suitable means of instruction, because for

sooth, Prussia teaches her farmers political submission with agriculture. To keep freedom's end equal then, we should provide equal means of instruction, and with the agricultural science, teach the doctrines of self and free governments. If I have read correctly of the course of instruction in the higher agricultural schools of

cultural population for the schools which the | politicians who hold that the government is to do everything, wish to give them. When such a call is made, there will be hundreds of enter. prising individuals prepared to offer agricultural schools on the voluntary system.

We are somewhat surprised to see the com. mon-place view of agricultural education taken by the editors of the Post. We commend to their attention the Report of the Massachusetts Agricultural School Commissioners of last Janu

ary.

A perusal of Professor HITCHCOCK's very able report on the various Agricultural Schools of Europe, inspected by him personally, will, we think, change their views. Prof. H. states, that the history of the Agricultural Schools of Europe teaches conclusively, that Agricultural Schools usually fail, if they do not receive efficient aid from the government. Also, that when the government takes exclusive control of the schools, (as in Prussia,) the people usually take little interest in them. And lastly, he tells us that "those agricultaral institutions succeed best which are started and sustained by the mutual efforts and contributions of individ. uals, or societies, and of the government."

The plain reason why some government assistance is needed is, that one of the principal objects is to try experiments-in order to ascertain the utility or worthlessness of supposed discoveries and improvements. Now a private school may be able to carry on a good system of farming-but a private school will always do what is most for the private interest of its principal to do which is to raise only the most profitable crops and not waste money in experi ments. There are many branches of knowledge that would be highly useful for a young farmer living in a wheat district, to learn, that a private farm-school in a grazing district would not find it to its interest to teach; and there would be many branches of knowledge that the young farmer should acquire, which the limited means (as to teachers, apparaturs, lectures, &c.) of the private school, could not compass-and in all these points the government would properly come in to the aid of the school. On the other hand, the young agricultural pupil should not be wholly supported and educated by the state-but should be obliged to pay something, either in money or labor, or both-in order that

he may feel that he has a direct interest in the maintenance of the institution.

It is, undoubtedly, but too true, that the mass of the farmers feel but little interest in agricultural education. But so it is with the masses in every calling at first. The few more intelligent, feel and see the evils of ignorance and the value and power of knowledge, and it is the few who always organize any such institutions. The common school system, which everybody recognizes as the great institution of this country, was not called for by the mass of the people-it was urged upon them with difficulty by a few of the more enlightened minds of the country. Its value once demonstrated, the people look with horror upon the mental darkness of an uneducated nation. So, if the value of agricultural, mechanical, and scientific schools could be once fairly demonstrated to the masses, they would at once be adopted, universally, as right sources of power and influence and wealth-in the same way as the printing press and the post office are so adopted. There can be no more real question about the value of special education to the farmer or the mechanic, in a republic, than there is of the value to these men, of the thinking faculty itself. If there is anything in agriculture or me. chanics that makes any demand upon the think. ing faculties of man, then those thinking facul ties should be recognised and educated in the best manner for their special function. If there is not, why then let the brutes take the sole charge of the farms and workshops-it is idle for intelligent human beings to waste their time and talents there. The truth lies in a nutshell. Either farming is an intelligent occupation and demands education, or it is not, and demands only brute force. Take which ever form of the dilemma you choose-farmers, editors, legisla tors!

ASHES VS. CURCULIO.-Dear Sir: Having read much in your valuable and ever welcome journal relative to the curculio, I thought I would give you a statement which I heard made by a person who has grown the plum with success several years, relative to his treatment of the tree to prevent the ravages of the "turk." It was this: when the tree is full in the blossom, and early in the morning when the dew is on, to throw common wood ashes all through the