The Horticulturist.

This eminently useful periodical, since its removal to Philadelphia, and under the auspices of its new editor J. J SMITH, appears to have lost none of its value and ability. We find a great fund of information on horticultural subjects in its last number, a few gleanings from which will be interesting to our readers, and we trust advantageous to the publisher.

HEDGES-THE LEADER.

The

The editor furnishes some excellent and useful suggestions on this subject, in connexion with observations on the hedges on the grounds of Wm. REID of Elizabethtown, N. J., one of the best cultivators the country affords, of whatever he undertakes. Osage Orange, although highly commended, is regarded as defective on a few points,-namely, its want of dense growth, requiring great attention; and its exhaustion of the soil for some distance on each side. Of the latter we have not had opportunity for judging satisfactorily; but we are not sure but that the former may prove an advantage, for most of our cultivators need some practical necessity to teach them to cut back freely and frequently, without which no good hedge can ever be made. We have seen a four year hedge, four feet high and as wide at the bottom, that formed a perfect barrier between a public road and a garden, and which had been made impenetrably thick merely by shearing, and without the interlacing which the editor of the Horticulturist deems so essential.

The Buckthorn is highly approved for its hardiness, close growth, poisonous nature to depredators on its stem or leaves, and its easy propagation and planting. To which we would add, that it should receive high cultivation, to cause a sufficiently stout growth.

The Honey locust is recommended as the best of any plant for farm hedges; the trees being planted 6 inches apart, and, as an exception to the common rule, allowed to grow untouched four years; and then cropped at five feet high, thus forming a live fence of young trees, needing afterwards an annual shearing.

The Privet forms a beautiful hedge, being almost evergreen; the Japan quince has been made into a "superb hedge," by Wm. REID, who has about 400 feet in the highest perfection, and of close growth. The cost or scarcity of the plants will be a strong drawback on its general use.

The American Arbor-vitæ is pronounced the best for evergreen hedges; and the Hemlock the most beautiful, but not strong enough to obstruct cattle. The Juniper is nearly its equal, but apt to get too thick and die out in places. The Red cedar does well for a time, but is apt to drop its lower leaves and become unsightly. We have known old and impenetrable natural hedges of the Red cedar in Western New-York, but they had never been sheared. The Norway spruce is recommended as the best for forming quickly a screen from the wind. The editor of the Horticulturist attempted to raise plants of the Holly, but obtained only seventy-five plants from a bushel of seed; and he offers a fifty-dollar premium for the most perfect hedge of

the American Holly, the plants raised from seeds of this year's growth

THE HOWELL PEAR.

A fine figure of this pear is given, and a description furnished by P. BARRY, the former editor. We have fruited this pear for several years, and our experience accords with those of the many cultivators here mentioned, in favor of its great productiveness and uniform fairness and size, which render it valuable, although not of the highest flavor. It is stated by P. Barry, that in 1854, a single graft set in an old tree in 1852, furnished "three pecks of magnificent specimens fact almost without a parallel.

THE CURCULIO-HIS OLFACTORIES.

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HENRY CROFT, of Toronto, C. W., details some experiments with repelling this insect by means of foetid odors. Assafoetida accomplished nothing at all-the mixture of lime and sulphur (supposed to evolve sulphuretted hydrogen) was quite unsuccessful. But last year a lady tried sulphuretted hydrogen, evolved in quantity from the hydrosulphide of ammonium (hung in ounce phials, with twice its bulk of water, and renewed every two or three days) and the result was quite successful-the trees being loaded with fruit, while the unprotected had none. The same result we are informed, occurred with several experiments this year. "It is scarcely necessary to remark," observes the writer," that the delicious scent of the garden is by no means improved by the process," as all will comprehend when we add, that sulphuretted hydrogen is agreeable to those only who like the scent of excessively stale eggs. The question arises, would not a free use of the latter be a cheaper way to evolve this gas?

We should like to hear further results our own experiments are not very favorable to the repulsion of the curculio by means of strong odors.

APPLE BORER.

The following method is proposed as a preventive for the apple borer.

It will be an improvement to your process in resisting the Apple borer, if you cover the cloth which you wrap round the boll of the tree, on one side, with a mixture of one ounce of grease to two pounds of rosin. The cloth is placed with the rosin side outward, and overlapping; the adhesive qualities will keep it in its place, and assist much in repelling the pest of our fruit trees. The process will be less troublesome than looking up the grown enemy with knife and crooked wire. LUCY FITCH'S SEEDLING STRAWBERRY

Is pronounced by a correspondent at South Bend, Indiana, as a four-fold better bearer than Hovey, Early Scarlet, or Burr's New Pine. If it should prove so in Western New-York, it would constitute a prodigy, for limited beds here have repeatedly borne at the rate of 200 bushels or more per acre-800 bushels per acre would be decidedly respectable.

GRATTAN ON TREES.

A friend of Grattan proposed to cut down a fine old tree "because it stood in the way of the house." "You mistake," said Grattan, "it is the house that stands in the way of the tree, and if either must come down, let it be the house."

The cost and annual product of these nurseries may be reckoned with some degree of accuracy, by taking as the basis of calculation, the estimates of several intelligent nurserymen of that place,-that a well managed acre would yield as an annual average from two to three hundred dollars-the expenses varying from fifty to seventy-five per cent of this amount. It would of course be greatly controlled by the kind of trees raised, the proportion of ornamentals, &c., but still more by the judgment, energy, and skill exercised by the manager,-for under the direction of some, the cost exceeds the profits, and the business consequently soon comes to an end.

But it is not our present object to pursue this inquiry, but to give to our readers the results of a few hours personal observation of one of the establishments to which we have alluded,—namely that of ELLWANger and BARRY, who now have about two hundred and seventy-five acres actually occupied with their nurseries. These are not all in one contiguous piece of ground, but are comprised in four principal detached portions, of fifty to a hundred acres each, lying near each other. For extent and perfection combined, there is none in America that nearly approaches this establishment, and we have not been able to ascertain

from satisfactory sources, that there is any in Europe although there may possibly be a greater number of hands employed in some European nurseries, where labor is cheap and economy not studied.

Ellwanger and Barry had in regular employ at the time of our visit, over one hundred hands. In the spring, they have two or three hundred. Being in the midst of the budding season, they had sixteen active budders at work, with boys to tie after them, and other hands to precede them in preparing the stocks. These, added to such as were occupied in providing the buds, and in removing the ligatures, amounted to about sixty in all, connected with this department of operations. The buds are all cut by the proprietors themselves, and every pains taken to secure the greatest accuracy throughout this mammoth establishment-about twenty five thousand buds are inserted daily; and eight persons are required in connexion with the persons who cuts the buds, to remove the leaves from them on the spot.

They employ twenty five horses. During all the early part of the season, these were all required in cultivating the rows-at present only eighteen are needed for this purpose.

We observed single fields, of thirty or forty acres each, out of the many which constituted their establishment, which alone would be regarded as large for an entire nursery. A block of ninety thousand (90,000)

cherry trees, one year from the bud, was especially noticed for its beautiful growth, most of the trees being already about five feet high, and as even along the tops, as if they had been sheared. A half acre of seedling pears, had as fine a growth as any we have ever seen, although they numbered at least one mil

lion. They must be worth at market prices, more than

ten thousand dollars. Two hundred thousand were

picked out from them early in summer, without any sensible diminution of their numbers. As nearly as we could estimate, there were at least two hundred thousand Norway firs two feet or more in height, and covering many acres.

Their ornamental department is on a very large scale. They have five hundred feet in length of glass propagating houses-seven acres in roses-and about half an acre densely planted with dahlias. They have a very rare collection of the celebrated new Californian tree, the Wellingtonia gigantea, being no less than five thousand fine young plants of this tree, grown from seed collected in California, and which were procured by gathering such as the squirrels had thrown down in their depredations. A year ago, these plants sold for a guinea each-at only one dollar now, here was a space of twenty feet square with a valuable farm.

In their grape houses, they have over ten thousand exotic grapes of fine growth for sale. Their collection of bearing specimen pear trees is unequalled in this country-they have five to six thousand, most of which are handsomely trained pyramids, comprising about four hundred sorts.

naturally suppose there must be a great deal of conIn such an immense establishment, our readers will fusion and much bad growth and bad cultivation. But the reverse is true in a striking degree. An excellent system appears to pervade the whole; and as many have remarked, they are remarkably successful in all they undertake, from the most delicate hot-house plants, to their vast plantations of large and thrifty fruit trees. Indeed there seems to be a sort of magic in all their attempts at propagation, so rarely are there any failures.

The reason of this remarkable success is their tho

rough experience and knowledge of the requisites for every operation, and an excellent soil, reduced to the best condition by subsoiling and constant tillage. A weed is a great rarity on their grounds.

The cost of conducting this establishment must of course be very great-although we have no definite information on the subject, we should judge from the estimates mentioned in an early part of this article, that they must amount to fifty thousand dollars annually. Their sales may be estimated from the same data, remembering that none are more successful, and that probably no nursery is better managed for pecuniary success.

There are several other nurseries at Rochester, of large size, which we were unable to visit-among which those of H. E. HOOKER & Co., FROST & CO., and S.

Mules in the Southern States.

MR. TUCKER-I see inquiries in the June number of the CULTIVATOR, on the advantages of mules over horses for farm labor. Having been engaged in the business of mule raising to some extent, I can give my experience for what it is worth, without much trouble. The advantages of mules over horses are very decided, in almost every respect, in the slave states. Though more stubborn, they are more durable, stand the heat much better, keep in good order on less grain, are not half so easily frightened, and though they frequently run off with the plow or wagon, they seldom do much damage, as they only run from the lash, or merely to keep out of your way. They never appear to be frightened or scared like the horse, and most generally stop and go to feeding on the first green spot they find. This quality is a material consideration when the work is performed by careless slaves, or unprincipled hirelings, who work against time only for their support, without taking any interest or care for themselves or any one else. One other advantage is, they mature in about half the time the horse does, and need no currying nor half the shoeing of the horse, and are not liable to half the disease, and are much longer lived. They require about the same quantity of hay or rough food as horses, but will do quite as well on from one-half to two-thirds of the grain. They are much easier broke to the gear, and are scarcely ever known to balk-the more you whip him the more he pulls. As to fence breaking, that depends upon his raising altogether; once spoiled, there is no cure save that of constant use, which he thrives on. They are evidently adapted by nature for service, regular, and all the time if you choose. They are fond of company, and will not be confined in a pasture alone, especially while young, unless the fence be uncommonly good; and the habit of fence breaking once acquired, you had as well put him to constant use, if you have use for him, if not, sell him to those that

have. I have known some cured by moving them to a new place; but constant employment is the best remedy.

The medium sized mules are best for service and endurance, all things considered, yet the larger the the more saleable. Were I to raise mules to sell, I would prefer the largest and tallest I could get; but for home use the medium size is preferable, not too large nor too small, with good proportions, not all legs, nor all body, but a reasonable proportion of both. Some have kicking propensities; this is partly owing to the stock; the colts of some jacks are worse than others; but, upon the whole, they are worse to kick than horses. They very seldom kiek in the gear, unless they kick at something, and then they are apt to kick with pretty good judgment. The wildest colts are apt to make the gentlest and most tractable mules, when properly broke, whilst a very gentle colt may turn out to be stubborn, contrary, and often slow in motion. Upon the whole, we in the south could not well do without them, and the further south you go the more they are needed. G. Claytonville, N. C.

P. S. Can you, or any of your correspondents, tell the cause or cure for hogs' shedding their hoofs? It well nigh ruins them when they take it. And can you tell us what will cure a cow when swelled under the neck, or root of the tongue? The tongue often swells until the mouth is full and the tongue protrudes an inch or two out of the mouth. On examination after death, (and almost all die,) a hard swelling is found about the root of the tongue and throat—a solid, hard cake of flesh and matter.

Effects of Guano.

This region of country was but recently a waste of sedge fields. In my immediate neighborhood, land was sold, within my recollection, (I am not an elderly man yet,) at 4 to 5 dollars an aere. Similar land will now bring $30. Though in fact there is little similar land to be found, for most of it has undergone a wonderful transformation, and produces crops which would be satisfactory in 'the West.' Guano is the ordinary manure here now. Few farmers attempt to grow wheat without it, and most of us use it freely for corn, potatoes ruta bagas, and every thing else. Whether we can afford to do it or not, will be determined hereafter. On worn-out fields, its effect is magical. Nothing is easier than to convert a coat of sedge into a coat of clover, by a dose of guano, taking a crop of wheat to pay expenses. The Peruvian government have put up the price recently, which may have a good effect in compelling us to look to other sources of fertility, now too much neglected. Guano has done its work for many small farms. It has converted waste lands into good pastures, and filled the barns with provender. Those who have no 'old fields left should look to their stock for the improvement of their farms. We cannot be forever tributary to the Peruvian government, and there is no reason why we should be. B. Harford Co., Md.

Foreign Correspondence. Heidelberg-Rape, its Culture and Use-Best Sugar-Cooking Vegetables.

Heidelberg lies on the Neckar, some miles above the confluence of that river with the Rhine. From the heights above the town the view northward and westward extends over the fertile Rhine and Neckar valley and the courses of the two streams may be plainly traced. The vegetation of this and the neighboring valley, was far more advanced at the date of my visit April 23, than that of Bavavia and Wirtemburg. The spring field-operations seemed nearly completed and winter crops were well up. My notice was particularly arrested by the winter rape (Brassica napus-oleifera.) I was astonished to find that while grass had attained at most, a height of 3 to 4 inches, this plant was 2 or even 3 feet high, and already in blossom. It is chiefly cultivated for the sake of the oil obtained from the seeds, which is one of the most common means of illumination in Germany. The oil has a pale greenish yellow color, is free from disagreeable odor, burns clearly, and is greatly preferable to whale-oil. The rape cake, or residue after the expression of the oil, constitutes a highly nutritious food, valuable as an addition to coarse fodder, especially for fattening animals. It has a peculiar taste which is at first disagreeable to cattle, but they shortly get accustomed to it, and learn to relish it. It is then equal in every respect to linseed-oil-cake. When there is a deficiency of food in the spring, the green plant is often used as fodder. This plant is said to be of easy cultivation, and appears worthy of extended trial in the United States.

The soil of the Rhine and Neckar valley is good, and the tillage is admirable. One of the chief productions of this country is the sugar beet, from which immense quantities of sugar are annually fabricated.

I have lately observed in our agricutlural papers, inquiries concerning the manufacture of beet sugar in the United States, viz, whether it could be carried on profitably there. In your columns, articles have appeared representing the success of the manufacture there as highly problematical. From what I can learn, these opinions are perfectly just. The fact that sugar costs considerably more here than in the United States, and that the production here is protected by duties on foreign sugars, sufficiently show the true state of the case.

In Europe field-laborers are abundant, and receive but small wages; hence the cultivation of the beet can be carried on very cheaply; besides, all other sources of a supply of sugar are distant. With us the matter is reversed, labor is dear, and the sugar cane is grown profitably in our southern states. The extraction of sugar from the cane is a simpler process than its preparation from the beet, and it is a well ascertained fact that as much sugar is yielded by a crop of beet roots of moderate size and medium weight, as when the roots are of mammoth dimensions. In fact beets are not bought by the manufacturers by the bushel or by the ton, but by the acre, or if bought by

measure, the price paid diminishes in proportion as the yield exceeds a certain limit. The cane furnishes itself the fuel necessary for the evaporation of the juice, while the beet does not. The farther north the cane is cultivated, the less sugar and the more salts are contained in its sap. The presence of salt diminishes again the quantity of crystalized sugar obtainable from the sap, since, in their presence, the sugar is converted into molasses, during the processes of manufacture. In tropical countries the most beautiful sugar is often obtained directly from the juice of the cane without any purification and without the formation of molasses. To the north, as in Louisiana, the quantity of molasses formed during the manufacture (it does not exist in the fresh juice) is very considerable, except when the most refined methods are employed. Finally, other things being equal, still more loss occurs in making sugar from the beet in colder climates, and, in fact, it is well settled that beets or cane grown on new soil, rich in salts of potash and soda, or upon fields which receive much of these substances in manure, contain less sugar, and yield less of what they do contain in the crystallized form, than when raised on poorer soils. Hot climates are best adapted to the production of sugar from the cane, and doubtless the sugar beet would yield a juice richer in sugar, more free from salts and fermentable matters, and therefore better adapted for the production of this indispensable article, if cultivated further south than has hitherto been the custom. Whether the culture of the two plants might not be combined, is a question to which I invite the attention of our Planters.

tion of enterprise, capital, and Yankee ingenuity, unIt is by no means impossible that a proper combinader scientific guidance, might establish the beet sugar production on a profitable basis in our western country where lands are cheap; for the processes of manufacture are still very imperfect, and doubtless chemistry, which has been mainly instrumental in bringing the business to its present advancement, can surmount the existing difficulties.

I conclude with a translation of a note by Prof. BOETHGER, of Frankfort, "On the Influence of Water in Cooking Vegetables," which I find in an agricultural paper:

'If one portion of vegetables be boiled in pure (distilled or rain) water, and another in water to which a little salt has been added, & decided difference is perceptible in the taste and odor, and especially in the tenderness of the two portions. Vegetables, boiled in pure water, are vastly inferior in flavor. This inferiority may go so far, in case of onions, that they are almost entirely destitute of odor or taste, though when cooked in salted water, they possess, in addition to the pleasant salt taste, a peculiar sweetness and a strong aroma. They also contain more soluble matter than when cooked in pure water. Water which contains 1-420 of its weight of common salt, is far better for hinders the solution and evaporation of the soluble and cooking vegetables, than pure water, because the salt flavoring principles of the vegetables. This explains the advantage of the general use of salt in cooking, and the impossibility of correcting by subsequent additions of salt, the want of flavor in vegetables that have been boiled without it." SAMUEL W. JOHNSON.

Domestic Economy.

Remedy for the Bite of a Mad Dog. While on a tour recently in the vicinity of the Ottawa river in Canada, we frequently heard it said that there was no difficulty in preventing the usual fatal results from the bite of a mad dog. It was said the remedy had been long known and administered with invariable success by many of the Catholic clergy throughout the Lower Province. Having ascertained that the Rev. JOHN EDWARDS, Baptist minister at Clarence and Petite Nation, could furnish the recipe, we applied to him, and he has favored us with the following:

LUTHER TUCKER, Esq.-I send the annexed recipe for insertion in your valuable paper, hoping it may meet the eye of any individual who should have the misfortune to be bitten by a mad dog: Of its efficacy to prevent Hydrophobia, I have the fullest confidence, having seen persons when bitten, who took the remedy, and no harm followed, whilst animals bitten by the same dogs, died raving mad, or were killed to prevent

mischief.

A gentleman of undoubted veracity, from whom I obtained this recipe 20 years ago, assured me that he had known it to be used successfully in at least 20 cases where there was not a doubt as to the madness of the dog inflicting the bite, nor of the entire exemption from any serious consequences to the person bitten, after following this prescription.

I would add that while many instances have come to my knowledge of persons having been bitten by mad dogs, in this part of the country, I never heard of a single fatal result; which I am satisfied must be attributed to the knowledge of the above remedy. JN. EDWARDS, Baptist Minister, Clarence and Petite Nation, Ottawa River, Canada.

RECIPE.-Burn oyster shells to lime; pulverize and sift through fine gauze or muslin : put two tablespoonfuls (heaped) into a vessel; mix with eggs to the consistency of creain or butter for pancakes, and fry in a pan with a good sized piece of fresh butter or some sweet oil.

Let the person, as soon as may be after being bitten, eat this cake, in the morning, and taste neither food nor drink for six hours, when he may eat and drink as usual. Three such cakes to be eaten as above, on three alternate mornings.

This is for an adult; the quantity for a child may De administered according to age.

Elder Wine.

Pick the elder berries from the stalk, and to every gallon of the fruit add one gallon of water, having first mashed the fruit. Let this liquor stand and macerate three days; then put them into a large pan or copper, to boil; when the fruit has boiled an hour, or until quite soft, strain the liquor through a sieve, and to every gallon add three pounds of moist sugar, some cloves, allspice and ginger, and boil three-quarters of an hour. Pour into a puncheon or pot, and when milk warm, toast a piece of bread, cover it with yeast, and put it into the liquor, and allow it to work for a day or two. Then put it into a barrel or bottles, leaving

them open for awhile, until the violence of the working has subsided; afterwards fasten up. It is fit to drink in a month. PETER SIDEBOTHAM. Valley Falls, R. I.

Receipt for Making Rice Bread.

One and a half pounds of rice put in a gallon of water and stirred till it becomes quite soft, then mix it while warm with fourteen pounds of flour, and at the same time add a teaspoonful of salt and the usual quantity of yeast. Let it stand to rise, then make it into loaves and bake it the usual way. We have found the above quantity of flour and rice to make us twenty-eight pounds of excellent bread, and independent of the great saving, we like it better than bread baked in the usual way. JOHN Sillett.

A CERTAIN CURE FOR A RATTLE-SNAKE BITE OR SPIDER STING.--Take the yolk of a good egg, put it in a tea cup, and stir in as much salt as will make it thick enough not to run off, and spread a plaster and apply to the wound, and I would insure your life for sixpence. The subscriber has tried the above remedy

in a number of cases, and never knew it to fail in one. P. PRETTYMAN, M. D. Portland, Oregon

Valuable Recipes,

TO MAKE YEAST.-Take one handful of hops, one apple, one potato sliced, boil in two quarts of water; while hot, strain off and stir in wheat flour until it is thick as paste-coarse flour is best. Grate one large apple, one large potato, place them in a gallon jur, pour in the batter, when sufficiently cool, add a little yeast; in twelve hours it will be fit for use.-Ohio Cultivator.

QUICK MADE BLACKING FOR SHOES.-Beat up two eggs, add a teaspoonful of alcohol, a lump of sugar, and ivory black to thicken; it should be laid on and polished like leather blacking, and left a day to harden before it is used.

TO PRESERVE CURRANTS.-Cut them carefully from the stalks, so that the skins may not be broken. Put them into perfectly clean and dry bottles, adding gradually as you fill them, ten ounces of finely sifted loaf sugar, so that the sugar may fall on each layer of currants. Fill the bottles, and seal the corks, and they will keep till nature furnishes you with a new сгор.

WHITE CURRANT WINE.-One quart of currant juice, two quarts of water, three pounds white sugar; mix well together, let it stand twenty-four hours, then skim it well, then put it into demijohns and let it remain six weeks, corked looosely, then bottle it.

RED CURRANT WINE-For ten gallons; three gallons juice, thirty-five pounds of common sugar, fill with water. Leave the cask open until after fermentation is over, then bung up; let it stand one year; then bottle. No addition of spirits.

FLEAS, BED-BUGS, &c.-A writer in the Gardener's Chronicle recommends the use of oil of wormwood to keep off the insects above named. Put a few drops on a handkerchief or a piece of folded muslin, and put in the bed haunted by the enemy. Neither of these tribes can bear wormwood, and the hint is especially commended to travelers who are liable to fall among the topers of blood.

WASH FOR SUNBURN-Take two drachms of borax, one drachm of Roman alum, one drachm of camphor, half an ounce of sugar-candy and a pound of ox-gall. Mix and stir well for ten minutes or so, and repeat this, stirring three or four times a day for a fortnight, till it appears clear and transparent. Strain through blotting paper, and bottle up for use.