I observe that you and your correspondents frequently have something to say about the peach curl. Allow me to contribute a little bit of my experience.

Last year I bought of Ellwanger & Barry some strong thrifty young peach trees, and set them out properly, for though I am an amateur, I know enough for that. They all flourished, but about mid-summer the leaves crinkled up, and had unmistakable 'curl"all over. I have great faith in wood ashes, and as we use a wood burning furnace, have plenty of them. So I had the ground about each tree well mulched with them, and slightly forked them in. The effect was surprising; in a very short time all those curled leaves straightened out, grew fresh and strong, and never had another bit of curl to them all summer. I find wood ashes very good for currants. I have almost exterminated the currant worm from my bushes by an abundant mulch of this kind; and my raspberries grow enormously under the application of wood ashes every fall and spring.

What is there about Rosa rugosa to make it desirable? I paid a dollar for one, on the recommendation of catalogues, and I think any of our wild roses more beautiful than this bristling, single blossomed, coarse-leaved bush.

I have been experimenting on various strawberries, and accepted two out of the crowd for my own use, the old Triomphe de Gand, and the new "Prince of Berries." The latter is a sort of idealized apple, it is so firm-fleshed, so high-flavored and so sweet. But I had to prop up the long stalks as if they were over-loaded apple trees. I never saw such growth of leaves and fruit on any other berry.

Now that the season of catalogues is coming in, do give a word in season to those believing people who are every year cheated by travelling agents of various florists. My neighbor last year paid one a dollar for one feeble plant of Am-pelopsis Veitchii, while I sent to a florist and bought five for a dollar. This is but a specimen of the various frauds of this sort. I too was victimized last year by an "old soldier," a plea I never can resist. I paid for blackberries with the roots torn off, pear trees that apparently never had those useful attachments, and sundry other dead branches, the aspect of which not only shocked my patriotic sentiment, but put a final blow to my patience with "agents." Not another one will come inside my door.

[The Editor once heard just this vow made over a bill for $96, when not $9 had been expected. The vow was registered in the editorial mind. Inquiry was made, and the reply was this : "Confound those fellows, one got an order for grapevines out of me this spring." But the vower was not a lady. Still, we shall be glad to learn when her good nature yields to the blandishments of the agent's mellifluous tongue. - Ed. G. M].

I get everything far cheaper and far better, by express or mail, from established and honest firms, who deal in flowers and fruits "in the original package." Winsted, Conn.