Artificial Fruit

We saw the other day at H. A. Dreer's, 327 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, the handsomest plate of artificial fruit that has ever come under our notice. The Peaches were beyond measure tempting, even to the ineipient decay. On inquiry, it appeared they were made by a lady who also devotes her attention to teaching the art - Miss C. Smith, No. 1013 Coates Street, Philadelphia.

Artificial Guano

Dr. Valentine, of Richmond, Va., gives the following receipt for making artificial guano: No. 1, dry peat,* 20 bushels; No. 2, wood ashes, 3 bushels; No. 3, fine bone dust, 3 bushels; No. 4, calcined plaster, 3 bushels; No. 5, nitrate of soda, 40 pounds; No. 6, sal. ammoniac, 22 pounds; No. 7, carb. ammonia, 11 pounds; No. 8, sulph. sodae, 20 pounds; No. 9, sulph. magnesia, 10 pounds; No. 10, common salt, 10 pounds.

* If peat can not be obtained, use garden mold or clean virgin soil instead.

Seeds of many of our hardy shrubs, if gathered as soon as ripened, and sown in light, sandy loam or leaf-mold, in a cold frame slightly protected by means of an old strip of cloth, can be grown into plants of from six to eighteen inches this season, and suitable for planting out in nursery-rows or hedges next spring.

Artificial Manure For Potatoes

Superphosphate of lime, 4 cwt., sulphate of magnesia, 2 cwt. Mix and sow over surface before digging or plowing.

The Ascent Of Sap In Plants

Prof. McNab has presented to the Royal Irish Academy a memoir on the ascent of water in the stems of plants, to investigate which point very many experiments were made. He finds in the privet the rate of ascent to be about 6 inches per hour, in the elm 16.6 inches per hour; in the cherry laurel the rate varied from 24 to 13 inches. Experiments were also made as to the influence of sunlight and darkness, the influence of the bark, the influence of the leaves, and the influence of pressure.

The Duke of Buccleugh grape is a new variety, which is considered one of the best and earliest under glass. It is reported as very robust.

Special, Correspondents:

Josiah Hoopes, Andrew S. Fuller, James Taplin Vol.29. December, 18t4. No. 342

Asclepias Quadrifolia And Tuberosa, (Swallow-Worts.)

In that broken wood which borders this sandy plain, thrive these species of Asclepias. The first possesses delicacy of form, and is sweet-scented, but The latter, (the butterfiy-weed,) is very showy, with its large clusters of orange colored flowers.

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 branches and over the tree. One application to each tree was sufficient, and had entirely freed his trees from the Curculio. I give this to you for what it is worth, and you can make such use of it as you choose. Yours, J. Hackett.