Winter Flowering Carnations

In the old world Souvenir de Malmaison is still the most popular with florists. They do not generally practice the bench system as we do, but grow in pots. As fast as the first full crop is over they throw away the plants, and bring in a new set from the plants stored in reserve.

Carvings On Fungus

The large, hard fungus, called botanically, Polyporus, that pushes out like huge brackets from some trees, the American Agriculturist notes, may be turned into pretty parlor ornaments by carving on the hard upper surface.

Oleanders

Cuttings of these root freely when placed in bottles of water in a living room. The double red and the single white are common in cultivation. There are a number of other varieties in Italy, though rarely seen in the New World.

The Belmont Strawberry

This is a very handsome berry, being of a perfect egg-shaped form. It is about 2 inches long by 1 1/2 wide near the base, with moderately scattered prominent seeds. The fruit ripens evenly, and is of a dark crimson color. It received the Wilder prize of ten dollars in 1883 for the best four quarts of berries of any kind that should have the finest form, color, and general quality. It was raised by Heustis & Son, of Belmont, Mass.

Grafting Quinces On The White Thorn

The pear grafts on the quince, and also on the English White Thorn or Hawthorn Crataegus oxy-acantha. A correspondent desires to know whether the quince has been successfully grafted on the White Thorn.

Large Strawberries

Strawberries are supposed to grow larger in the Old World than in America. The Teutonia is believed to be one of the largest varieties grown in France. Fine ones of these are 6 inches round, and rather longer than wide. It is, however, nearly as thick at the apex as at the base, so that besides measuring well there is a great deal of " meat " in the berry.

Origin Of The Beurre Clairgeau Pear

Revue Horticole says this was raised at Nantes in 1849 by Peter Clairgeau, a gardener, who sent it to Belgium.

Early Asparagus

The Rural New Yorker notes that where the ground is covered to a depth sufficient to keep out frost, with some rich material, asparagus can be cut earlier than when it has to wait for the frost to thaw out of the ground.

Sowing Turnips

The "monthly calendars" of agricultural papers are very much confused as to the day of the month proper to sow turnips. Our country is too large to make any definite time safe. The best hint is, to sow as soon as the hot weather is evidently over.