This section is from "The Horticulturist, And Journal Of Rural Art And Rural Taste", by P. Barry, A. J. Downing, J. Jay Smith, Peter B. Mead, F. W. Woodward, Henry T. Williams. Also available from Amazon: Horticulturist and Journal of Rural Art and Rural Taste.
Mr. Walker: Trees are partially winter-killed in Massachusetts, and is a bad grower - fruit A No. 1 in summer. Mr. Wilder: Not good in flavor. Mr. Berckmans: Strike it out of list as promising well. Mr. Saul: Never found the objections spoken of.
There are many species of this genus, of which this is the finest. They grow on the borders of streams, and produce an abundance of small yellow, star-like flowers.
According to late news from Corrientes, M. Aime Bonpland has, in spite of his very advanced age, set out on a new botanical excursion to the State of Paraguay, the results of which are to benefit the collections of the National Museum at Corrientes, founded by M. Bonpland himself. The length of life of the two friends, Humboldt and Bonpland, is extraordinary.
Thujopsis Dolabrata, is the name of a new evergreen with the foliage of a deep green on one side, and silver-white on the other, possessing ornamental qualities that make it desirable. It is a tall tree, with a thick trunk, and a hard, red wood, in request in its native country (Japan), for building purposes. Its head is pyramidal, and formed of spreading, or even drooping branches. Its hardiness has not yet been established. •
The pears sent are Bloodgood and Rostizer, both highly esteemed. The latter approaches, perhaps, more nearly the Scckle than does any other, and it is a prolific bearer.
A machine for peeling basket willows has been invented by G. J. Colby, of Jonesville, Vt. Its operation is very simple, the willows being passed through between two or three sets of India rubber rollers, one set of which has a vibrating motion which robs the bark off very effectually; the others mainly separating the willows from the loose bark. The rollers being made of India rubber, there is no possible chance for the willows to be injured, and it will adapt itself to all sizes, so that from twenty to thirty rods can be passing through at the same time. With one horse, and with two men to attend it, it will peel from one to two tons per day, while to do the same amount of work by hand it would require thirty or forty men and boys. This is one of the greatest labor-saving machines of the age, and if farmers only understood it they would soon plant willows enough, so that we should not be obliged to send to Europe for them as we now do.
A fine, green-house, evergreen shrub, growing three to four feet high, bearing opposite, oblong, lanceolated leaves, nearly three inches long, upon smooth upright branches. The flowers are bright red corolla tubes an inch long, with an open mouth of five segments of a yellow color. They are borne at the axils of the terminal roots, and contrasting with the rich evergreen foliage, have a fine effect. This plant belongs to the natural order Vacciniacae, is a native of Chili, and flowers in summer.