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PLANTER'S CONVENTION.
Lamar, Miss., June 20, 1859.
Sir: The enclosed circular is sent to your ad
dress, satisfied that, as the Executive of South
Carolina, you take a deep interest in every effort
to promote the agricultural and mechanical in
terests of the South. The first “ Planter’s Con
vention ” will be held at Nashville, Tennessee,
on the 10th of October next. At the same time
and place, the “ State Agricultural Bureau ” of
Tennessee will hold its Annual Fair. You will
please appoint a sufficient number of delegates
to represent your State in said Convention.
Very respectfully,
Thomas J. Hudson’,
Pres. State Agricultural Bureau of Miss.
Gov. TV. H. Gist.
In compliance with the above request, I here
by appoint the following gentlemen delegates to
the “ Panter’s Convention,” to be held at Nash
ville, Tennessee, on the 10th of October next:
Col. A. P. Calhoun, Hon. A. Burt, Hon. E. G.
Palmer, Hon. T. J. Sessions, Hon. S. J. Mont
gomery, Hon. Donald R. Barton, Col. David TV.
Johnson, Col. A. L. Dearing, G. P. Elliott, Esq.,
Gen. B. B. Foster, Dr. R. Harllee, Perry Duncan,
Esq., Capt. J. U. Adams, Col. J. E. Rutledge,
Thomas P. Lide, Esq., Dr. T. B. Rutherford.
By order of the Governor.
T. Y. Simons, Aid-de-Camp.
TVe hope that Georgia will be represented in
the above named Convention.
BUTTERMILK AND LONGEVITY.
The constant use of buttermilk as food, it has
been asserted, would lie the means of just doub
ling the term of man’s life, and woman’s too,
we suppose, though nothing is said about that
On the subject of longevity, the New Orleans
Surgical and Medical Journal contains some in
teresting facts:
It seems that an eminent French chemist,
Mr. Ed. Robin, in a memoir presented to the
Academy of Sciences, has expressed the belief
that human life may be prolonged, and he gives
his reason for it He thinks living beings may
be compared to a furnace always kindled; life
exists only in a state of combustion, but the
oombustion which occurs in our bodies, like that
which takes place in our chimneys, leaves a re
sidue, a detritus, ashes. This detritus, which
is always accummulating, is, according to Mr.
Robin, the principal cause of old age and senile
death. He thinks that the mineral matter which
constitutes an ingredient in our food, after the
combustion, is left in our systems to incrust and
stiffen the different parts of the body, and to
render imperfect many of the vital processes.—
M. Robin sets forth many facts to prove the
resonableness of his position, but proposes to in
stitute a series of experiments on animals whose
lives are of a short duration, to verify his theory.
Among the series of experiments which he pro
poses, is one which consists in administering
lactic acid with ordinary food. The lactic acid
is known to jKissess the power of dissolving the
incrustations, which form on the arteries, cartil
ages and valves of the heart; and as buttermilk
abounds in this acid —it is moreover an agree
able kind of food—its habitual use, it is supposed,
may free the system from these causes, which
inevitably cause death between the seventy
fifth and the one-hundreth year.
The author of one of the articles, in the New
Orleans Journal, expresses Ins approbation of
the labors of M. Ed. Robin, and gives, more
over, a reason of his own as to the probability
that the period of human life may be extended.
He makes the following formula, viz: “ Every
quality which appears to be an exception in a
species, indicates a new rule, to which this spe
cies may be subjected.” The author says: “ Ap
plying this principle to the present subject, we
say there are macrobites, or centennarians, in
the human species; these macrobio is combatible
with human organization, and, since it exsits,
its cause may be determined. Now to possess
a knowledge of the cause, is to be master of the
effect; and that which has heretofore been an
exception may become a rule."
To show that people do live sometimes to be
very old—whether owing to buttermilk I can
not say—l condense some facts from tho two
articles before mentioned :
Years.
Police Lefofre lived 121
Eleanor Spicer 121
Madame Barnet < 128
Grantlez •' 128
John Newell 127
John Bayles 180
Polotimun 140
Thomas Parr 182
Obst 186
Joseph Surringen 160
John Bowin. 172
Peter Zostan 186.
And many others of similar ages, who have
lived in modern times might be mentioned.
Dr. B. Dowler, ot New Orleans, has given a
list not included in the foregoing, of persons
who attained the age of 120 years and upward.
In this fist none are given who died more
than two hundred years ago:
Years. Years.
81 lived 120 4 lived 188
9 121 2 139
7 122 4 140
8 128 2 142
8 124 2 148
6 126 1 145
4 126 8 146
6 128 1 148
8 129 4 180
12 130 1 161
2 181 2 ...152
1 182 1 ....154
2 183 1 160
8 184 1 164
i iss 1 175
4 136 1 180
8 187
The instances of longevity below 120 years
are frequent.
i a >
The Southern Forests. —The Baltimore Ex
change says: “ Those persons who have been
accustomed to regard the pine forests of the
South as of comparatively small commercial im
portance, will be surprised to learn, that the an
nual value of the hewn timber, of the sa™ed
plank, boards, scantling, rosin, pitch, and tur
pentine, is estimated to be not less than from
twelve to flfteeeu millions of dollars; while it is
impossible to compute the yearly loss by waste
In girdling trees that are the growth of centu
ries, for the purpose of opening up new planta
tions or extending the area of those already
worked. The wanton destruction of this valu
able timber, which has been going on for some
years past, has elicited a strong protest from a
writer in the Savannah Republican, who calls at
tention to the fact that the exports of yellow
pine are annually dimiuishing, and expresses
the opinion that unless more care is taken in
the future, to preserve the growing timber, and
protect the owners of it. against the encroach
ment of ‘ piratical ’ squatters, the pine forests of
the South will be rapidly swept away."
-—-——i•<■»
It is exceedingly bad husbandry to harrow
the feelings of your wife.
xkx somraesxn vxx&s &10 sxeebxbx.
MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES-ROOT PRU
NING, AC.
Many kinds of fruit trees that have arrived at
a bearing age, may perhaps be growing very
vigorously and producing very little or no fruit.
Those who have read our remarks in past num
bers, will understand that whatever checks the
wood-producing principle, tends to throw the
plant into a bearing state. For this purpose,
' summer pruning is often employed, which, by
checking the most vigorous shoots, weakens the
whole plant, and throws it into a fruitful condi
tion. The same result is obtained by root prun
ing, with this difference, that by the last opera
tion the whole of its branches are proportionate
ly checked, while by pinching only the strong
growing shoots, the weak ones gain tft the ex
pense of the stronger ones. Presuming that the
branches have been brought into a satisfactory
condition in this respect, root pruning may now
this month be resorted to. TYo cannot say ex
actly how far from the trunks the roots may be
operated on, so much depends on the age and
vigor of the tree. In a luxuriant healthy tree,
one-fourth may bo safely dispensed with. In a
four year old standard pear tree, for instance,
the roots will perhaps have reached four feet
from the trunk on every side. A circle six feet
in diameter may then be cut around the stem,
extending two feet beneath the surface. It is
not necessary to dig out the soil to accomplish
this result; a post spade, or strong spade of any
kind, may be driven down vigorously, describing
the circle, and doing the work very effectually.
Os all trees, the peach is as much benefitted by
root pruning as any.
Most of tho diseases tho peach tree groans un
der arise from the effect of hard winters on the
over-vigorous and half-ripened shoots. Root
pruning lias always the tendency, not only to
throw a tree into bearing early, but also to ri
pen the wood early in the season, and before
the frost can act much to injury.
The grape vine at this season will require at
tention, to see that the leaves are all retained
healthy till thoroughly ripened. It is not a
sign of healthiness for a vine to grow lato; on
the contrary, such late growth generally gets
killed in the winter—but the leaves should all
stay on, to insure tho greatest health of the
vine, until the frost comes, when they should all
be so mature as to fall together. Frequent hea
vy syriugings are amongst the best ways to
keep off insects from out-door grapes, and so pro
tect the foliage from their ravages.
Gardener's Monthly.
- lll
The Tomato. —Dr. Bennet, a Professor of some
celebrity, cousiders the Tomato an invaluable
article of and ascribes to it very important
medical properties:
Ist. That the Tomato is one of the most pow
erful asperients of the liver and other organs;
where calomel is indicated, it is probably one of
the most effective and least harmful remedial
agents known to the profession.
2d. That a chemical extract will be obtained
from it, that will supercede the use of calomel,
in the cure of diseases.
3d. That he has successfully treated diarrhoea
with this article alope.
4UI That when used as an article of diet, it is
almost a sovereign remedy for dyspepsia and
indigestion.
sth. That it should be constantly used for
daily food; either cooked, raw, or in the form of
catsup, it is the most healty article now in use.
Grinding Feed. —“lfa machine was invented
to grind hay,” says the London Farmer, “the
ground article would approximate in value to
unground oats in producing fat and muscle.”—
Chopping hay and stalks is tho process that
comes nearest to the grinding, and relieves the
animal of just so much labor as it takes to do it.
Twenty-five pounds of dry hay a day is a good
deal of work for the muscles of one pair ofjaws,
if they have the whole burden of its reduction to
small bits and powder; this labor affects the
whole system, retarding the animal's growth and
rendering more food necessary to supply the
waste of its tissue. — Country Gentleman.
To Measure Hay-Stacks. —“ More than twen
ty years since,” says an old farmer, “I copied
the following method for measuring hay from
an old publication, and, having verified its gene
ral accuracy, I have both bought and sold by it,
and I believe it may be useful to many farmers,
where the means of weighing are not at hand.
‘ Multiply the length, breadth and height into
each other, and if tho hay is somewhat settled,
ten solid yards make a ton. Clover will take
from ten to twelve solid yards per ton.’ ’’
How a Chick is Hatched. —ln conversation
with Judge Butler, of Norwalk, a few days
since, he explained the operation of the hatch
ing process, which is so beautiful and philoso
phical, that, as we have never seen it explained
in books, we repeat it to our readers.
The chick within the egg, breathes through
the shell; in the silky membrane lining of the
shell the blood circulates, and is thus brought in
contact with the outer air.
The head of the chick is in a position as if it
had been brought around .under the wing and
over on the back, —a little one side of course—
in such a position that the least muscular exer
tion will press the beak against the shell, and
about in the middle and when any violent strug
gle is made, it will break a little hole in the shell.
Now this little movement of the head, perhaps
an eighth of an inch forward, turns the chick in
the shell, so that when the head is drawn back
in its normal position, it is brought against
another portion of the shell. The next struggle
breaks a fresh hole, and so on, each struggle
making a new opening tn the shell.
These struggles, as the chick gains strength
from breathing the fresh air, become more fre
quent. Finally in the course of half a day per
haps, as it goes on turning itself in the shell,
the little blood-vessels which originally formed
a connectien between the chick and the lining
Os the shell, are drawn so tight as to prevent
circulation, or are twisted off; and when holes
have been punctured and the shell cracked
about owo-third a around, the shell falls apart
and the young chanticleer steps into a new
world.
Occasionally the lining membrane of the egg
is so tough that the shell parts from it, and leaves
it unbroken, except in the little holes described;
and so, if not seen in time, the chick dies. A
pair of scissors will effect a liberation.
It is dangerous to attempt to take a chick
from the shell before it has, as will be evinced
by the cracked shell, turned itself nearly or
quite two-thirds round; otherwise the blood-ves
sels spoken of will be broken, and the chick
either bleed to death, or be long in recovering.
The whole process may be watched, if the
egg be kept warm in, the hand, and observed as
its struggles call attention to it. This will not
interfere with reading or writing, and is iostruc
■ tive and interesting.— Ex.
• *
HORTICULTURAL.
WM. N. WHITE, Editor.
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 1559.
HORTICULTURAL.
Communications for this department are re
spectfully solicited. Address them to the editor,
at Athens, 6a.
Horticultural exchanges will please direct to
the same address.
THE STRAWBERRY - PEABODY'S SEEDLING.
We publish to-day an article from Mr. Peabody,
in relation to the criticisms of M.M. upon the
name and description of his new seedling.—
The points made by M. M. are: Why did Mr.
Peabody describe his plant as perfect, or her
maphrodite, when that is a natural characteris
tic of the genus, and consequently of the in
cluded species and varieties? And again, Why
did he call it a hautbois, when it belongs to a
different species entirely ?
As to the first point: Botanists tell us that
the flowers of the genus Fragaria are, in most
of the species, perfect, containing both stamens
and pistils; but though this fe general, it is not
universal. About ten spedies are of this charac
ter, while there are at least four others—which
are the ones embracing nearly all our cultivated
varieties —which, even in the Wild state, are
generally dioecious. We find in Don’s Garden
ers’ and Botanists’ Dictionary, that among these
are Fragaria elatior (or hautbois), of which he
says, “ flowers usually diq cious from abortion.”
He mentions the same characteristic as pertain
ing to F. virginiana, or thfe scarlet strawberry,
while F. grandiflora, the piue, and F. chilensis,
the Chili strawberry, in their native state, always
have their flowers dioecious from abortion.—
Now, had Mr. Peabody discovered a new spe
cies with hermaphrodite blossoms, it would hard
ly have been worth while to mention the fact, as
that is generally the case in this genus, and
would have been understood. On the other
hand, had it been dioecious, being some what
exceptional, like the four species we have
named, to the general character of the genua
this characteristic should have been mentioned.
But Mr. P., in the case of his seedling, from
one or more species usually dioecious, or at
least so described, has originated a hermaphro
dite variety. It is, therefore, though agreeing
with most of the genus, an exception to what is
usual in the species to which it belongs. Con
sequently, it was right he should state it to be
hermaphrodite; else, the natural ihference of
any one knowing the general character of this
species would be, that it was dioecious. In
truth, as to our garden varieties, they have
been so changed by culture, that, unless the
fact is mentioned whether a new plant is perfect
or dioecious, the public would be, as to its sex
ual character, completely in the dark—botanists
as well as gardeners.
As to the second point: The name, Jlaut
hois, which Mr. P. gave it, is misapplied. The
Fragaria elatior, or Hautbois, is just as distinct
from other species of the Strawberry genus, as
in the Pear genus the Pyrus Malus, or Apple, is
from the Pyrus Commuuis, or Pear. F. elatior
(hautbois, or highwood) is, as its name indicates,
a tall-growing species of Fragaria. So in the
pear and apple genus, the pear is a tall-growing
species—the tallest of the genus—hence, there
would have been a good reason for having
named it the P. elatior, or high-wood; an ap
pellation which could not with any propriety
have been given to the apple as it generally
grows. But there are somo varieties of pear
quite low and spreading, and some of apples
grow very erect. Notwithstanding this habit of
growth, it would have been a grave error to
have called such an apple “Pyrus elatior”—
as every botanist would at once have classed
it among pears, just as they now expected Mr.
P.’s strawberry to have shown the peculiar leaf
and character of the hautbois species.
But, if Mr. Peabody has succeeded in pro
ducing a Strawberry that is valuable—and our
Columbus friends tell us that in his grounds it
really is so—a mere botanical mistake is a
small matter in one who professes no profound
knowledge of the science, but a very thorough
acquaintance with the mode in which the straw
berry and other plants should be cultivated.—
That he really possesses this knowledge, “we
know by his fruits ,” as well ashy his writings.
If it be true that he has originated areally
good variety, one which is certainly of excellent
quality and (many good cultivators say) is very
productive, and has merely misnamed it—as he
certainly has —it is much easier to change a
name than to originate a superior variety. We
can drop the name Hautbois very easily, which
will end all dispute, and call it simply “the
Peabody.” As for ourselves, we have found
its flavor excellent, but have not succeeded in
getting as much fruit from it as from Wilson’s
Albany. If Mr. Peabody will give us thatar
ticle he kindly offers, on its cultivation, perhaps
we shall be able to do better hereafter. Last
spring the strawberry crop was greatly injured
by frost, and some varieties much more than
others. Our Hovey’s, as well as Peabody’s,
bore a quite moderate crop.
—
Vitriol and Fence Posts. — Os the many
methods of preserving fence posts from decay,
none is perhaps more simple and cheap than the
one of soaking them in blue vitriol. At a re
cent meeting of the Farmers’ club, in Hudson,
N. Y., one of the members exhibited a post,
which previous to being placed in the ground,
had boon soaked in a solution of blue vitriol—
one pound of vitriol being used to 20 quarts of
water. The post was pine, and when taken up
was as sound as when first put down, eight years
since. This solution is good for all kinds of
timber, exposed to the weather —spouts, shingles,
bean poles, Ac.
NOTES UPON PEARS.
BY P. J. BERCKMAN.
Wm. N. White, Esq.— Dear Sir: Enclosed I
send you a list of Pears, with such remarks as
I have made, during this and last season. Many
other varieties are in fruit, but I cannot as yet
give my opinion until they ripen.
I fruited most of the varieties in Mr. John
son’s list, published in a recent number of the
field and Fireside, and find his remarks very
true. If this information is useful, I shall be
glad thus to help the cause of Horticulture.
Next year I hope to be able to report upon
several hundred varieties, as the prospect is fair.
This season must not be taken a3 average time
of ripening for fruits, as generally I find many
pears, and peaches, especially,fully three weeks
ahead of former seasons. Mr. Johnson’s Anna
nas d’Ete ought to ripen at least in July. It
cannot be the true variety.
I fruited eighteen native grapes this season.
The Delaware was the earliest aud best; if you
wish some notes upon them, I will send them to
you with pleasure.
Alexander. —(Native of Oswego Co., N. Y.) —
Windfall, ripened July 7th: medium, obovate,
russety, llesh white, juicy, and highly perfumed.
Will be valuable for this section of country.
Baronnede Hello. —Medium, round, covered
with cinnamon russet; buttery, juicy, with a
marked almond flavor. Ripe July 15th.
Beau Present d'Artois. —Medium to large, py
riform, juicy, melting, but lacks flavor: very
prolific bearer and line tree. July 25 to August
15. Requires thinning out.
Beurre Clairgeau. —Fruited it here two years
upon dwarfs and stand, aud find it all what
may be wished in a pear. Large, pyriform, rus
sety, with bright red cheek; very juicy, melting,
and of the highest flavor. August 15 to Sep
tember 20. This variety should be worked up
on standard, as it comes into bearing very early
and is so prolific that, when worked upon the
quince, it makes no growth.
Beurre d'Albret. —Fine, showy, juicey, a little
sharp, quality good ; July 15.
Beurre Derouincau. —Small, yellow, with much
russet; sweet, dry, lacks flavor, and a little
coarse ; September 3.
Beurre Biel —This year the fruit is below its
average size and lacks flavor. Will do better in
dryer seasons.
Beurre Giffart. —Large, pyriform, yellow with
red cheek; ripens well, but sudden; buttery,
sugar and flavor enough; June 10. The most
valuable of early pears, but poor grower as soon
as it ootnes into bearing; growth straggling.
Beurre or Viconitede Spoelberg. —Large, green
with dark red cheek; sometimes round, often
pyriform; melting, very juicey, sugary and
flavor enough; very prolific aud fine tree; a
variety to be recommended; Aug. 10 to Sept. 1.
Beurre Riguiar or Waterloo Mvsque. —Small,
round; green with red cheek: very juicy, sweet
and vinous flavor; the most prolific of all early
pears and must be thinned; July sth to Aug. Ist.
Waterloo de Woromow. —A variety from Cri-*
mea; medium to large; pyriform; green with red
spots, flesh rather tough; sweet and well fla
vored ; cannot judge fairly, as the fruits were
blown off by high winds.
Bezyde Rheims. —(Likely misnamed.) —Large
pyriform, one sided, green, very juicy and fine
flavor; Ist quality—July 20th.
Charles de Boulogne. —Medium obovate, round,
light, yellow, marked with faint crimson; stem
short, very juicy, Bweet and well-flavored—Au
gust 19 th.
Colmar Josse Smet —Small, green, pyriform,
not yet ripe.
De Tongres. —Very large, pyriform, strongly
bossed, with skin of a crimson russet and light
crimson cheek. If not allowed to mature upon
the tree, it is very astringent, but when left to
remain until a few days before maturity, it is
very juicy and highly flavored, although some
what sharp*—Sept. Ist.
Doyen DiUen. —Large, oblong, pyriform, light
green, dotted with fine russetty ' spots—buttery
and juicy, good flavor; Aug. 25 th to Sept.
Emilif Brivort. —Medium, round, greenish yel
low, russetty principally on the sunny side,
half melting, sweet, a little gritty, lino tree;
August 25th.
Esperine. —One of the finest market pears;
largo, oblong, pyriform, yellow, with bright
crimson cheek; fiosh juicy, melting and sweet;
very productive, and always fine; July 20th to
August 10th.
General Dutilleul. —Small, fine color, crimson
and bright yellow; very fine, but too small;
August 10th.
Jefferson. —(Windfall,) small, turbinate, green,
high flavor, and much sugar; July 20th.
Jules Brivort, or Delices de Lorenjoul. —Large,
pyriform, greenish yellow; with light carmine
cheek; washed and striped with feint crimson,
the stalk seems as being only a protection of the
fruit, and not inserted as before described by
authors. Very sweet, half melting, very good;
August 20th.
JJarie Louise. —(Os Van Mons,) very large, py
riform; fine flavor and juicy; Aug. sth.
Marie Louise d’ Uccle. —A new Belgian variety
introduced 1858; fruited this year for the first
time; resembles much the foregoing in form;
long, pyriform, yellow, with russet and faint
crimson; green near the stalk; stalk long, fla
vor sweet, flesh a little coarse; was left a few
days too long upon the tree; July 29th.
Purfum d'Aout. —An old variety described by
Duharnel; small, turbinate, yelfcw, with bright
check, dotted with red spots; juicy, sweet, little
flavor; June ICth. Immense bearer.
Poire Prevost. —Medium, yellow, with carmine
cheek; fine appearance, flesh breaking, and as
tringent; good cooking.
Nabers. —Large, obovate, green, netted with
russet and dark green; stalk long, flesh coarse,
and very astringent, rots at the core; Septem
ber Ist.
Peine des Precoces. —Medium, turbinate, green
ish, russetty, with a crimson cheek; flesh half
melting, perfumed slightly, gravelly at the core;
June 2t>th.
Soldot Labotireur. —Large, turbinate, yellow;
one of the finest of summer pears, when well
grown; July 30th, Aug. 15.
Priomphe de Jodoigne. —One specimen grown
this year upon an espalier transplanted in Jan
uary, weighed, over one pound; very large, pyri
form, well shaped, yellow; very juicy, and melt
ing, sugary and high flavor. Its immense size
will require it to be grown on espalier as other
wise the fruit could not remain upon the tree,
until maturity; Sept. Ist. Must be workefl up
on the standard.
Vicarof Wink field. —Long, large, cannot be
recommended much here.
Wiest. —Medium, very juicy and melting; lacks
flavor; Aug. Ist.
Zephirin Gregoire.— Large, turbinate, sweet
flavored, juicy: very good, and very productive;
• twice as large as in the North; Aug. 20th to
I Sept. 10th.
In addition to the above, we liave fruited
•Onr tingle specimen was very fine, being melting
and sweet—Ed.
some twenty or more varieties, but unhappily,
high winds in July have blown off the fruit, and
they do not ripen well Many varieties are in
fruit, but not yet ripe.
Fruitland Nursery, Augusta, Sept. 6th, 1859.
[We shall be glad to receive the notes upon
the native grapes, also upon the pears not yet
ripened. Our pomologists are contributing their
experience freely, but where are the florists?]
[For the Southern Field and Fireside.]
ANSWER TO THE “CHAPTER ON STRAW*
BERRIES.”
, Me. White: I notice in the communication of
your correspondent, M. M., some misconceptions
i which, for my own reputation, as once having
had something to do with the horticulture of the
South, as well as for the interests of the horti
cultural public, I deem it advisable to reply to,
through your Model Journal.
First, your correspondent, with a great major
, ity of horticulturists, do not seem to understand
the origin and literal meaning of the names giv
en to strawberry plants. Frougaria is a sym
bolic of the whole tribe, as the fragrant fruit—
The other names given, have no reference to
flavor. Hautbois , simply signifies a high stalk
plant. Hence, as the second and third crop of
my new seedling grew upon very tall footstMks,
1 I thought it no misnomer to call it a Haumois.
Had the fruit hugged the ground like Hovey’g
seedling, I should have called it a pine; not
entirely from its exquisite pine apple flavor, but
because its fruit, like the pine apple, grew near
the ground. The first high stalk, or Hautboie
Strawberry cultivated, originated in Bohemia.
The English have since originated Hautbois, and
why shall not Americans ? Your correspondent
suggests that the public who live within “ tast
ing distance ,” are somewhat indebted to me for
my success in Strawberry culture. I thank her
for the compliment. But does she realize what
is the tasting distance of my new Hautbois ?
You may be aware that my residence and
grounds are five miles from Columbus, in Ala
bama, and that all the Strawberry fruit I send
to any market, is first carried tjiat five miles by
wagon. Now, I have sent the first of this new
seedling of mine, to New York, Philadelphia,
Mobile, and supply regularly the markets of Sa
vannah, Charleston, Macon, and Montgomery.
A fruiter in Montgomery, Ala., the past spring
and summer, sold of my Hautbois fruit, near
three thousand quarts; and that your correspon
dent may know in what order the fruit arrived,
and in what estimation it was held, I enclose
you a letter received from Mr. Hardy, the fruit
dealer, during the time that I was daily ship
ping him from one to two hundred quarts of
fruit. So much for the “ tasting distance." Now
for the sexual character of the plant. I did not,
in my advertisement, think it worth while to go
into the niceties of botanical description, and
therefore called it an hermaphrodite, as iff pro
duces both the male and female organs.
Nor do I consider it a forced production. The
only force, or restraint, used in producing this
berry, was confining it to the impregnating pol
len, of the wild strawberry, that I wished to
give running vigor to the progeny. I agree
with M. M., that the natural state of the Straw
bery is what is generally termed hermaphro
dite, and that ninety-nine out of every hun
dred plants, grown from seed, will contain both
stammenß and pistils. Nor do I believe it pos
sible to change the sexual character of the plant,
by cultivation. It certainly would appear a
misnomer to term any plant, or animal, in its
natural state, an hermaphrodite. This subject,
however, I will leave for those who deal more
in the technicalities of Botany, than the success
ful production of fruit. Your correspondent
further says: “ that whether the results of my
experiments, in strawberry culture, can be made
available for common gardening, and such as
common field hands can give, remains to be
proven. - ’ Your correspondent is mistakeip. I
have demonstrated to the world, years ago, that
my strawberry culture was field culture, on
land that will not produce -ten bushels of com
mon corn to the acre, and this with no other
mauure than the forests around mo afford, in
the falling leaves. Nor have I ever had any
other laborers but common field hands. I have
never been a. fancy cultivator. Nor do I believe
iu cultivating any crop, that is designed for
market, that will not pay a handsome interest
on the investment of time and labor. It will af
ford me pleasure to give your readers my pecu
liar method of cultivating the strawberry, should
you wish it. This subject is attracting the at
tention of market gardeners, as well as amatuers,
as they find that the railroad cars and steam
ships annihilate space so quickly, that a few
hundred miles are no more.of a bar to a mar
ket now, than two or three used to be.
Very respctfully yours,
Chas. A. Peabody.
Columbus, Ga., Sept. 15th, 1859.
—The letter alluded to, is from Benjamin
Hardy, a fruit dealer, of Montgomery, and or
ders Mr. P. to send him 100 quarts a day, of his
seedling, as long as they last —if all summer—
as they always come to hand in good order, and
bring twice the -jprice of the Hovey, when the
latter is in good condition. “ The Hautbois al
ways arrive in perfect order,” while he com
plains that the Hovey’s frequently spoil, before
reaching him. Wo have not space for the en
tire letter.— Ed.
— 111 i
GIVE AWAY YOUR FRUIT.
“ One of the best uses you can put a fine dish
of fruit to, is to give it away to some friend who
will appreciate it, and your skill in growing it.
It is due to the art of horticulture, as well as to
yourself to .make these offerings. In no way
can the taste for fine fruits, and the desire to
cultivate them, be so rapidly disseminated. The
rich old hunker over the way, who has all his
life-time been too intent upon dollars to think of
a fruit yard, or a vinery, wili perhaps fall into a
tit of self-reproach, at the sight of a four-pound
bunch of Black Uamburgs, presented to his wife.
She of course praises the grapes, admires the
half-transparent skin revealing the rich juices
beneath, but does not venture to make any sug
gestions, though her looks insinuate volumes.—
The daughter Julia is in raptures with them, as
girlhood is wont to be with everything beautiful.
She wonders that papa does not build a glass
house to grow grapes in, and can not keep the
wonder to herself. The daughter is the old
gentleman's special weakness, as the mother
well knows, and she can safely be left to do the
talking. Ho never said no to her, and doubts
his ability to, when her heart is really set upon
an object. Wliat is five hundred or a thousand
dollars to a man of fortune, where the reasona
ble gratification of his family is concerned?— ‘
The architect will be called in, and the glass
house will bo built, in due time. Wo trust qur
good friends with the large vineriea will com
prehend at a glance this philosophy, and fulfill -
their mission.”
143