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purpose better. For sheep and milch cows the Ruta Baga is found very nu tritious, surpassing most other roots ; and it is good also occasionally to feed to horses, if cat fine, and mixed with cut straw or hay, as an alterative feed. It is also an excellent table vegetable, is very productive, and there is more nutritive matter in it than any other of the turnip family; it is hardier, and easily kept, and preserves its edible qualities long after other kinds cease to be fit for table use in the Spring. When intended for food for stock, early sowing is desirable, say between the middle and last of June, which will secure larger roots and a heavier yield; if for table use, the seedling may be delayed till the first up to the middle of July. This root is decidedly a potash plant; in the inorganic elements there of are found potash, lime, sulphuric acid, soda and phosphoric acid, the first preponderating. Ashes or their equivalent are the most desirable of this class of manures for the turnip.— Sea weeds are rich in potash, wherever to be conveniently had, yielding on an average from eight to ten per cent,; stable and barn yard manure will also supply some potash; fish furnish also an excellent application, and if formed into compost with plaster and any rich earth, would, when reduced, be an ex cellent manure for turnips, containing also phosphoric acid, lime, chloride of sodium, salt, etc.; salt will supply the soda and chlorine, and plaster of Paris the sulphuric acid required for the tur nips. Thorough preparation of the soil is requisite for nearly all crops, but in this, it is especially - so ; when practica ble, plow two or three times and fully eight to ten inches deep ; reduce the soil to the finest tilth by harrowing and oross harrowing, and the use of the roller. If you sow broadcast, the manure should be evenly spread and plowed in; but when thus grown, they will require a much larger amount of manure. If drilling is resorted to, as is decidedly best, spread the manure evenly in the drills, and run furrows north and south, from BO- to 22 ir/ches apart and four inches diep, into wviich, . equally as possible then cover with the fplow aud run a light harrow over the/furrows. The next step is to (drill in the seed, which should be donJ by a drilling machine, on the top of the line of the furrows prepared as above directed, and the work is done, as the imple ment will make the drill, drop the seed, cover and roll, all at one aud the same operation, which economises time and labor—and by the by, every farmer and gardener should have a drilling machine. If you have not such an im plement, then stretch a line along the centre of the furrows, and with a rake or the corner of a hoe, trace a drill an inch deep, drop the seed from the mouth of a bottle, or any other con trivance of the kind—in the bottle equal quantities of seed and sand should be placed, and be constantly shaken as you progresg to secure an even and thin distribution of the seed; as the seed is dropped, let a hand follow with a rake, to cover the seed, and press the soil down of them with the back part of it. The manure recommended would be per acre, ten bushels ashes, three or more of bone dust, two do. salt, and one of plaster; throw it in bulk, let it remain eight to ten days, shovel it over well, then broadcast it over the ground, harrow it in and roll; then sow the seed, lightly harrow them in with a light harrow and roll—or 20 two-horse loads of well rotted barn yard and stable manure, or the same quantity of either; half of the manare should be plowed in eight; the other half four inches deep; then top-dress with a mixture of ten bushels ashes, two do. . salt, and one do. plaster; harrow in the mixtore, roll, sow the seed, and harrow it in lightly with a light harrow, | and roll the ground. Other formulas j might be named, but anything produc- j ing the elements contained in turnips, mentioned above, can be applied at the convenience or fancy of the cultivator. Soak the seed twenty-four hours in fish oil, then drain oft’ the oil, and dry the seed with ashes, slaked lime or plaster, or a mixture of any or all of these—this secures an earlier germina tion, and the odor is a repellent to insects, and the oil is of itself a manure. A pound of seed is sufficient for an BANNER OF THE SOUTH AND PLANTE It S’JOURNAL. j acre, but to allow for all casualties, it i: j better to sow a pound and a half. Lesi j quantities by one-third of the manun | and the seed will be required if th< : drill system is used. The land shouh , be a deep fertile sand or sandy loam. As soon as the plants come up, foi ; several mornings, while the dew is or | them, the plants must be dusted ovei with a mixture composed of two parts ashes, one part soot, and one of plaster: continue this until the plants are in the rough leaf, to protect them from insects —when they are large enough to be worked, if drilled, run a small cultiva tor between the middle of the rows, leaving the line of plants undisturbed; work them by hand and hoe at the same time—in a week give a second working, and thin them out so as to stand 8 inches apart in the rows. In another week or ten days after the second working, give the plants athird working, aad the work is done—if there are any naked spots, draw plants from places where they are too thic-r, and dibble them in the vacant places, eight inches apart, selecting a wet season for the work. When the Rma Bagas are sown broadcast, thin out so as to stand twelve inches apart every way, and stir the ground frequently and keep the plants entirely free from weeds and grass. Crawfish in the Cotton Field.— Crawfish are very destructive to young cotton on many plantations in this re gion of country. They eat it, or cut it down and carry it into their holes. Can you suggest any way to get clear of them—any practical and effective agent that will destroy them ? In old times planters sent hands out at night with lights, and killed them flagrante dilecto, but in these degenerate times the freedmen can’t be induced to do this. How can this pest be easiest destroyed f A Subscriber. Okolonci, Miss. Glover, Entomologist to the Washing ton Department of Agriculture, recom mends that small bits of meat upon which strychnine has been placed, be dropped into their holes. We would pajut in the form of a powder, that may be had at almost any paint store. It would be necessary to order “dry Paris green,” otherwise you would get it ground in oil. Mix in the proportion of about one ounce Paris green to fifteen ounces dry ashes, or lime, or flour, and sprinkle it over the plants where the crawfish use. Be careful not to inhale it into the lungs while sprinkling, for it is a poison. An old oyster can, with small holes punched in the bottom, and a cloth or paper tied over the top, makes a good sprinkler. Apply when the dew is on, and keep to windward of the row. The compound will not in jure the plants, but it will be very apt to clear out the crawfish. Paris green is a very cheap article, and one sprink iing would be very apt to do for the season. We have never tried it on crawfish, but we have tried it on rab bits and various insects with perfect success, and therefore feel confident that it would act on crawfish as well.— Mobile Register. horticultural. PROFITS IN SMALL FRUITS. At the Pennsylvania Fruit Growers’ Convention, Mr. A. S. Fuller spoke as follows: Competition is brisk, aud this leads me to believe that there are | but two classes of small fruit growers who can make the business very profi table. The first are those who have an j abundance of capital with which, in a | measure, to control unfavorable circum stances. If they only make a profit of J a penny per basket, and sell enough it j will amount to considerable in the ag gregate. Cultivators without a large • ipital having to come in competition i would be ruined with prices which j gave the extensive producer a small margin for profits. The second class are those who have a home market and raise their fruit without any considera ble outlay for labor. A man who works in the field himself, and has a family to gather and market his fruit, will find small fruit culture quite profitable, inas much as he receives an immediate re turn for his labor; but should he at tempt to extend his operations until a number of hired laborers have to be employed, he will very likely' find the j profits growing gradually less. It is : jnst here that so many persons have made a most serious mistake in the ! culture of the small fruits. At the beginning they have probably produced ! a few hundred quarts of fine fruit upon a small plot of land, and this being disposed of at a home market, they resolve to extend operations in the same direction without taking into consideration the amount of capital necessary to purchase baskets and crates, as well as the extra amount of labor required in production. Even if these things are considered, the fruit grower is very liable to forget that there is sometimes a run of bad weather during the harvest season, also low prices and a short crop. Perhaps some may accuse me of drawing too strongly on the negative side of this question. I beg them to remember that for many years there has been a strong team on the Other side. I do not wish to dis courage any one from engaging ih the culture of small fruits, but merely de sire to put them on their guard against expecting too great results. The World. [From the Rural Alabamian.] Among the Flowers, I lowers. —Let there be someone to set a tuft of Mignonette by every sick mans pillow, and plant a Fuchsia in every working man’s yard, and place a Gei auium in every sewing girl’s win dow, and twine a Cypress about every poor man’s grave, and, above all, may there come upon us the blessing of Him whose footsteps the mosses mark, and whose breath is the redolence of flowers. Between these leaves I press thee, O Lily of the V alley.— From, Out of Doors. The Camellia. —The Camellia is a difficult plant to manage. It is hard to say what causes the" trouble, but too much sunlight is the probable cause. I his will indicate the cure. They can be propagated by cuttings, but it is difficult. Papers are better, but take time. Raising seedlings is a slow pro cess, and then they' must be budded or in-arched; better to buy plants than mULi—Llltl* —Lid— HAlll florists i,ol 1 our correspondent how to manage. An ex change says: Camellias thrive best in a cool, moist atmosphere—one quite different from that usually found in an ordinary sitting room. Any considerable change in the temperature of the air, or in the amount of water applied, is very likely to make Camellias cast their buds; still we know of many ladies who have excellent suc cess in growing and blooming them as parlor plants. VVe do not think the Camellia is a difficult plant to cultivate, but it requires a peculiar treatment, and one quite different from roses and gera niums. We would advise keeping plants in an atmosphere not above sixty de grees, nor below forty-five degrees; | keep the soil moist by giving plants j plenty of water once or twice a week, j but do not apply a little every day', as is j the too common practice with amateurs (in window gardening. If the plants casts their buds again this season, take them out of the pots ond soak the ball ot earth for a few hours in water, until it is wet through. If any of the roots are rotted, cut them away. Remove a portion of the soil, or all, if it parts readily from the roots. Now take good fresh loam from a hedge row or near an old fence—that which is full of rich vegetable mould—and add to this some old, rotten cow manure, say one-fourth the whole quantity of the latter. Break up and thoroughly mix this compost, and it is ready for use. Put the plants again in this material, being careful to l>ut plenty of drainage in the bottom, and see that every root is surrounded with soil. Press the soil in firmly, give water to settle it, and put the plants in a situation to grow again. Next Summer set the plants out doors in a half-shady position, and water them as required. Apply water fre quently overhead in order to keep the leaves clean and free from dust. In Autumn remove the plants to the house, and if you do not water too freely, give too much heat, or make some other grave mistake, the plants will not fail to do well. The Zinnia —This beautiful annual, says the Journal of the Farm , does not receive the attention which it richly deserves. The plant is very hardy, re quiring no special care, conies into bloom very early, continues in flower the whole season, and constantly in creases in size and beauty. The "blos soms are usually' double, veiy large, of many colors, and are excelled by no flower of the garden except the Dahlia. Last year our Zinnias were unusually admired; for many long weeks the garden was gay with their bright colors, in nearly every shade of crimson, with pure white, splendid scarlet, deep yel low', buff’, pink and salmon. The only objection which can be made to the Zinnia is its stiff foliage and bushy habit, which requires more room than most annuals. It is admirably adapted to large flower gardens in the country, and quite indispensable where a brilliant display of flowers is desirable, with but little labor. Climbing V ines. —One of the greatest improvements to a small cottage is the prevalence of vines clambering over it, so as to almost entirely conceal its out line. For this purpose nothing can be better than the American Ivy (Ampe lopsis), and golden veined Honeysuckle (Lonicera aurea reticulata), closely in tertwined, so that during the Autumn months the effect of the golden and crimson foliage is beautiful beyond de scription. Over the front of the house, especially if there should be a porch, the effect will be heightened by a ram pant growing Clematis) either O. Vi talba, the European Traveler’s Joy, or C. Virginiam , our native Virgin’s Bow'er. The abundance of pure white fragrant bloom on each of these, aided by a dense mass of foliage, is produc tive of good results. The Prairie Roses, owing to their entire hardiness and free flowering habits, are also worthy of due consideration as cottage runners; but there is an air of stiffness and primness about them, which never harmonizes so well with their sur roundings as do the vines before men tioned. When the cottagers of America are willing to receive a lesson in flori culture from the Paisley weavers of England, we may then date an era of progression which is sadly needed throughout our land to-day. The few hours spent during the evening, or early inthemormng, ori a bed of choice i flowers, will return in pleasure, on a capital invested nf labor; and my repbtation for veracity will never be questioned when I state that, when men are once induced to feel an interest in plants, it increases with their years, so that rarely is it ever forsaken.— Josi.ah IToopes. Grafting Geraniums —Many of the new Zonal Geraniums are wonderfully slow growers on their own roots, re quiring two or three years to obtain a good, showy plant. Among the plain leafed sorts there are plenty of strong, vigorous growers. I am using these for stocks upon which to graft the more delicate kinds. Grafting geraniums has been practiced but very little in this country, but I think that W’hen our gardeners learn its value they will be extensively used for the slow grow ing but elegant Zonal varieties. Even for the purpose of obtaining a supply of good strong cuttings, grafting the weaker sorts upon the stronger will be found of considerable value to the com- To Destroy the Aphis on Single Plants, an English writer recommends the following mode: If the infested plant is small aud short, take three or four laurel leaves, beat them all over with a hammer, so as to thoroughly bruise them: then place them round or under the plant and cover ; a bell glass does best. Let all remain closed for a few hours, and the aphides will be found dead, each hanging by its probo scis only. If this process is repeated within a day or two to make sure, the plant will be perfectly freed, and in some cases, is not again attacked. This way of killing aphides may be accepta ble to those who dislike tobacco smoke, all danger arising trom an overdose of it to a very tender plant is avoided; and the laurel is so generally grow'n, it must be almost everywhere at hand for the purpose. Attempt to Shoot the State Treas urer of South Carolina. —ln Colum bia, on Tuesday, James D. Tradewell, Jr., while under the influence of liquor] attempted to shoot 'State Treasurer Parker, while that officer was sitting in the office of C. IX Melton, Esq. The young man was disarmed, however, be fore he had time to discharge his pistol. Household Recipes. Lemon Cake. —Two cups of flour, one of butter, one of milk, three of sugar, six eggs, one large lemon, one teaspoonful ol soda. Ginger Cookies. Excellent for breakfast with coffee. Two cups of molasses, one of shortening, one of water, one egg, one tablespoonful of soda, one of ginger. Roll pretty thick. Peas. Peas should be put into boiling water, with salt and saleratus, in the proportion of a quarter of a teaspoonful of saleratus to haTf a peck of peas. Boil them from fifteen to thirty minutes, according to their a<re and kind. When boiled tender take them out of the water with a skimmer, salt and butter them to the taste. Derby Short Cake— Rub half a pound of butter into one pound of flour, and mix one egg, a quarter of a pound of sifted sugar, and as much milk as will make a paste. Roll this out thin, and cut the cakes with any fancy shapes, or the top of a wineglass. 1 lace on tin plates, strew' over with sugar, or cover the top of each with icing, and bake for ten minutes. An Elegant Pudding. — Remove the inside of three lemons into a basin, take out the pipes, and add half a pound of sugar, mix w'ell: roll a long strip of paste, as for rolly-pollv pud ding, lay the mixture over with a "spoon; roll and boil the same as rolly-polly pudding. Orange can be done the same way, with the addition of the juice of half a lemon. Jumbles. —One pound of sugar, one of butter, four eggs, one and a quarter pound of flour, half a gill of rose water. Beat the butter and sugar to a cream, whisk th<p eggs with "them, then the rose water; lastly, stir the flour lightly in, roll it into round slips the thickness of your little finger, form it into rings the size of half a dollar, place them on tins about Half an inch apart, and bake in a moderate oven. Pies. —Four eggs beaten in j£ai|Hunt of cold milk, with .six large ‘ o f fcfiffgar, a little salt. Heat one q'uari ol milk nearly to boiling, then stir rapidly until it thickens. Add one teaspoonful of lemon. Make the pastry as for cus tard pies. \X hen done pour the cream on the pies and set aw'ay until cool. Cheap Sponge Cake. —Beat up four eggs, yolks and white separate; add to the yolks a teacupful and a half of sugar; beat them together, and add to them four tablespoonsful of cold water, and one teacupful of flour. Stir the flour into the yolks and sugar, then add the whites of the eggs, after they have been beaten to a froth. Lastly," add a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in water. Flavor with a few drops of essence of vanilla or of lemon. Bake about an hour. Pickling Cucumbers. —A corres pondent at St. Elmo, Alabama, desires information on the subject of putting up cucumbers. Make a brine strong enough to float an egg, and put the cucumbers into it, sinking them beneath the surface with a weight. This is the usual mode of putting them away in salt. They will require to be soaked and otherwise prepared for use, of course. A good aud quick way of pickling cucumbers is as follow’s : Put together—l gallon good vinegar; 1 ounce mace; 2 dozen cloves; £ ounce ground ginger; 1 teaspoonful of salt. Simmer together in a porcelain kettle ten minutes, then put in the cucumbers and simmer slow’ly (they must not boil) ten minutes longer. At the end of that time pour into a suitable vessel and set aw'ay for use, covering closely to keep out flies. —Mobile Register. Tricks with Trout— ls you want to make the colors of trout deep and dark, grow them over a black, muddy bottom, well shaded. If you want to cultivate light and delicate tints, grow the trout on a light, open, gravelly bed. If you want to have trout short and deep, and, to use an expressive Ameri canism, chunky, grow them in a deep, still pond. If you want to have them long and slim, grow them in a shallow, swift current. 3