so selfishly mean, as to desire to keep to himself any process by which he thinks he can surpass his neighbors, and tax the public for his own benefit; but such is the estimation in which these men are held by a large majority of horti culturists, and so readily is their meanness discovered by their customers, that they are very soon obliged either to retire from business and seek some other less honorable occupation, or eke out a miserable existence supported by the patronage of a class no better than themselves. The laws of nature should be secrets to none, and he who would deny others the knowledge of any important discovery in horticultural processes, would, if he were able, have the blessed sunshine and showers shut out from every field but his. It is to the constant interchange of facts, derived from experience, that we owe much of our progress in horticulture. To know the different varieties, so that one can name them at sight, does not constitute, as some may suppose, all the knowledge requisite to enable one to cultivate them successfully.

Their adaptation to the various soils, locations, and climate; the best mode of cultivation, propagation, pruning; whether the fruit is firm or fragile, rendering it more suitable for market or home use-these and many other points must be understood before one can safely go into small fruit-culture on an extensive scale. There has been much discussion as to whether a constant cultivation of the soil was necessary to produce remunerative results from growing the apple, peach, pear, and kindred fruits. There is, perhaps, some reason in particular cases for an apparent neglect, such as excessive growth, which may be checked by non-cultivation more readily than otherwise. But with the fruits, of which we shall treat in the following pages, there are no exceptions to the rule-the better the care, the more remunerative the results. By bestowing the best of care, we will not only obtain better returns, but they will be in an increased ratio to the amount

of labor bestowed. In many instances, with an annual expenditure of twenty-five dollars per acre, a return of only one hundred is obtained, while upon the same soil and with the same variety, if fifty dollars had been expended, the return would have been three or four hundred. All experiments show that extra culture is far more prof itable than what is generally termed good culture. I do not mean by this that it is necessary to trench the soil four feet deep, and apply a thousand loads of manure per acre to a soil which is naturally deep and rich; but that deep plowing and subsoiling should be employed, with a liberal supply of enriching materials, if the best results are to be obtained. But few of those who are called good cultivators are aware of the large increase of fruit which may be produced on an acre by giving extra culture, instead of the ordinary method. Many fruit-grow ers, for the purpose of extending their business, increase the number of acres, when, if they would double the depth of that which they already possess, they would obtain the same increase in product without going to the expense of purchasing more land, besides incurring the extra trouble of cultivating two acres, when one might, with proper care, produce the same results. Deepening the soil is not wholly for the purpose of furnishing more plant food, nor to facilitate the downward growth of roots, but it is principally for the purpose of disintegra tion, and making it of such a consistency that it will be capable of retaining a sufficient amount of moisture at all times to nourish and supply the plants growing therein, but not enough to be detrimental. Rain water, as is

well known, contains gases that are beneficial to plants, and if the soil is in a condition to allow it to pass through it, a large portion of these gases will be retained, but if the surface is hard, the water either runs off or remains untu it evaporates.

Again, a soil that is loose and friable admits air, and

with it moisture. To prove this fact, we have only to take a piece of glass or polished steel, or any similar sub stance, and place it in an ice-house where it will become cold; then carry it into the open air, and in a moment it will be covered with water condensed from the atmos phere. Now, we know that this moisture did not exude from the glass, therefore it must have come from the air. By stirring the soil, and placing that which has become heated underneath to warm the roots, and bringing the cooler portions to the top to condense the moisture, two objects are obtained: besides loosening the earth that it may be the more easily penetrated by the rootlets, it at the same time admits the air charged with moisture for their nourishment. The benefit derived from frequent stirring of the surface soil in dry weather, especially if it be of a compact nature, is mainly derived from the admission of air containing moisture. Many cultivators appear to think that all that is required of them is, to keep the weeds from growing among their plants, and they never stir the soil except for this purpose; but our best culti vators have learned that frequent moving of the soil is very beneficial to all crops, especially in time of drouth. any one doubts that soil can be made moist by frequent stirring, let them select a piece of ground under some open shed where no rain has reached for a year or more, break up the soil and pulverize it finely; then stir it and turn it over every morning for a week or two, and it will become quite moist, while a similar soil in the open field, which has not been stirred, will be parched and dry. Mulching the surface with straw, leaves, or similar materials, is often very beneficial, especially to plants whose roots do not penetrate deeply. The mulch not only as sists in preventing evaporation, but insures condensation of moisture from the air, which passes freely through it to the soil.

If

It is not my purpose to enter into any elaborate discus

sions of particular theories relative to growth, structure, food of plants, or any of the various points in vegetable physiology which are considered debatable questions. But as I shall have occasion in the following pages to advise deep and thoroughly pulverized soil, I have stated the foregoing simple facts, so that the reader may under stand why they are recommended.

BARBERRY.-BERBERIS.

NATURAL FAMILY Berberidacea.

[Name derived from the Arabic Berberys. The French name is Epine vinette; German, Berberitze; Dutch, Berberisse; Italian, Berbero; Spanish, Berberis.] GENERAL CHARACTERS.—Shrubs of medium size, with yellow inner bark and wood; flowers in drooping raA section of this genus,

cemes; leaves, and fruit, acid.

with evergreen leaves, is called Mahonia.

SPECIES.

Berberis vulgaris.-Common Barberry.-Native of Britain, but has become naturalized in the New England States; stems with sharp spines; leaves obovate-oblong, bristly-toothed; berries oblong, scarlet.

Very

Berberis Canadensis. — American Barberry. similar to the last; the racemes not quite so long. Berries oval, red. Considered by some botanists as only a variety of B. vulgaris. Alleghanies and southward.

The past summer, in a visit to New Mexico, I found this species in great abundance in the deep canyons, at an elevation of six thousand to eight thousand feet above the sea. It seemed to thrive best along the dry banks and sides of the canyons, among the yuccas and cactuses, where few other plants can survive the long drouths of those regions. Leaves smaller than in B. vulgaris, slightly serrate; lighter green; similar in habit, but less robust, perhaps owing to the rigorous climate.

Berberis Fremonti.-Fremont's Barberry.-A handsome large evergreen shrub, five to ten feet high, with rigid trifoliate leaves; leaflets one to two and a half inches long, the middle one usually the longest, somewhat cordate at the base, and with more numerous teeth, the lowest pairs situated close at the base. Flowers in clusters of two or three; berries ovate, dark blue, about the size of small currants. Discovered by Fremont, in

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