The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1882-01-07


yellow pine, A; chestnut So yellow poplar, 90;
butternut, 81; birch, 40; white pine, AZ. Some
woods are softer and lighter than others, the
hard and heavier kinds having their fbers more
densely packed together. But the same species Of
wood may vary in density, according to the con-
ditions Of its growth. Those woods which grow
in forests, in rich, wet grounds are less consol
idated than such as stand in open fields or grow
slowly upon dry soils. There are two stages in
the burning of wood: in the first, the heat comes
chiefly from flame, in the second from red-hot
Goals. Soft woods are much more active in the
first stage than hard, and hard woods more active
in the second stage than soft. The soft woods
burn with a vOluminous fame, and leave but
little COAL while the hard woods produce less
flame and yield larger mass of coal.
PLANTING TREES.-The following is an extract
taken from a small work called "7he Complete
English Gardener" printed in London in 1882
The accumulated experience of the two centu-
ries which have passed since it was written can
add but little of value to the advice given:
LET not your apple or pear trees stand nearer
then 90 feet, although the ground be poor; but
in good ground, %, so, or 40 feet asunder and in
so doing, one tree will be as good as two or three
but if any shall think this distance too much
then they may plant cherries and plumb trees
amongst. | mean cherry or plumb tree between
every four apple or pear trees Take notice, that
if you observe this order, your cherry trees will
be past the best in twenty years time which, if
they be then stocked up, your apple trees will be
in very handsome posture; if your ground be
very wet, it will be worth your labor to make
some sufficient drains to drain the water to some
pond or ditch; also, if your ground be not good
or rich of ITSELF it will be your best course to be-
stow quantity of good mould to every tree; for,
according to the goodness of the ground or cost
you bestow, you may expect your profit. Take
notice that dung is not good lay next the roots
of your trees except it be converted to mould,
but then it is better being mixed with earth You
are also to prune the tops of every tree you
plant, the neglect whereofdoth sometimes occasion
the loss of your trees; if your trees be small and
are well rooted, then you may top them the less ;
butifofa considerable size, take off the more ofhis
head, there will be theless danger of miscarriage
and in planting, spread the roots and let your tree
stand as shallow as you may conveniently, and
in case any roots do incline too much downward
then lay them as to spread near the upper crust
of the ground, where the roots receive speediest
virtue both from the sun and showers, only you
are to have little care Of them the first year, in
case of dry spring or summer; and, in such
case, it will be well worth your labor to lay lit
tie horse litter, or the like stuff, round about
the tree the compass of the root, and in so doing
one watering will be better than two or three
without it."
MATURATIoN OF FRUITs-The maturation as
it is called or the sweetening of winter fruits,
when stored up for their preservation in straw, is
the result of a true fermentation. Unrpe apples
and pears contain considerable amount of starch,
which becomes converted into sugar by the nitro
genous constituent of the juice passing into a
state of decomposition, and transmitting it's own
mutations to the particles of starch in contact
with it.-Liebig
SWEET BAY TREE-The Sweet Bay Taurus
nobitis) was very highly priced by the ancient
Greeks and Romans. 1t is, therefore, classic
plant. 1t was the emblem of victory, and the
victorious were crowned with it; it also formed
the chief adornment to their great poets, hence
the title poet-laureate. The most eminent of
the Caesars wore it almost continually; and such
was its celebrity, that sprig of it popularity be-
slowed was looked upon as high honor 1t is
native of Italy and Greece. It's leaves are ever
green, diffuse an agreeable odor when bruised
and have pleasant aromatic, slightly bitter taste
The dried figs which are imported are usually
packed with these leaves. The plant is tender
north of latitude $50, but is fine shrub for the
conservatory in winter.
KEEPING GRAPEs.-By the use of strong ma
nilla paper bags, grapes may be kept on the vines
in splendid condition long after the season for
grapes out of doors has gone by. Passing through
the vines, October 31st, three weeks after the
frosts compelled me to gather the crop and after
the leaves had all fallen, l found few clusters
protected by bags, that had been overlooked be-
meath the leaves Clusters of the Lazy grape
were slightly faded, and the quality not i'm
proved. The Brighton appeared as fresh, bright
and beautiful as / ever saw it, with bloom I'M
disturbed, the color dark rich maroon. l have
never eaten such rare specimens of this fine
grape, and yet the freezing had been severe
They were the nearest approach to a rasin ever