The Hon. James Mathews is decidedly one of the most energetic and untiring horticulturists in the West At a comparatively early age he had the good fortune to be elected to Congress. For this honorable station he had nothing to press him forward but his industry, integrity, and ability. In Congress he was little celebrated for much talking, but gave high satisfaction to his constituents by the general correctness of his votes. He served four years. His position in Congress gave him ready access to the acquaintaince of the principal horticulturists of the United States and Europe. The good opportunity which his position gave him he most zealously improved, and expended his per diem with a liberality which, had he been a millionaire, instead of a penniless boy, would hardly have been expected of him. He imported trees from all parts of the world with a most liberal hand. Nor has he been less lavish of his time. Before he went to Congress, he did whatever his time and means permitted. When in Congress, those leisure hours which many would have devoted to amusement or useless politics, he employed in his extensive horticultural correspondence, and in reading those valuable works which his additional means had enabled him to purchase.

Since the expiration of his congressional service, some seven years, Mr. Mathews has devoted at least half his time to horticulture - chiefly experimental, and with very little cash value to himself. He informs me he has remained hour upon hour under his Plum trees watching the doings and habits of the Curculio. He says the notion they can not fly is false; he has seen them rise perpendicular from the ground. In his opinion nothing but death can save the Plums. He has tried almost every variety of medication - lime, sulphur, spirits of terpentine. I can not remember half, but his conclusion is that none of these are of any avail. He says, careful shaking or jarring them down on sheets and killing them is effectual; he has tried it He also believes feeding a sufficient number of hogs under the Plum trees would answer. The tread of the swine and their destruction of the fruit would kill the most of the Curculios. His own remedy is to the death, and needs only one application per annum, and will not cost over three cents per tree beyond what is required by ordinary good cultivation.

These are the facts, as I understand them. Mr. M. lives at Coshocton, our seat of justice, twenty-two miles distant, and I generally Bee him and his garden two or three times a year. During the past Plum season I called on him on other business, and found his Plums perfectly smooth and sound. A few days since I saw him at our County Court Having noticed the remarks in the Horticulturist and in the Country Gentleman, I spoke of it to him. He says he wants no compensation without value to the public. Let a sum be subscribed by amateurs and horticultural societies large enough to induce the most active and skillful competition, and let that remedy take the purse which shall, after a fair trial of three years, prove best It seems to me this would be just Those who labor for the public good should not labor in vain, and especially when they work successfully. What amateur would begrudge a few dollars for a cheap, reliable remedy for the Curculio? I hope a subscription will be started, open to free competition, and to be paid only when the remedy shell be fairly proved. Who will start it! The money will never be needed unless the Grand Turk is first dethroned.

Who of our wealthy and enterprising horticulturists will open the subscription and put the ball in motion!

I only know of Mr. Mathews' remedy, that his Plums were remarkably fine, and his soil is just that loose, sandy loam in which they delight He is ready to submit his remedy to the committees of the Cincinnati, New York, Boston, and Philadelphia Horticultural Societies whenever a suitable premium shall be placed at their disposal J will only add, if the laborer is worthy of his hire, Mr. M. well deserves a liberal reward if his mode is successful Eli Nichols, - Wolf-Pen Spring, Ohio.

We entirely agree with Mr. Nichols, and we trust that Horticultural Societies will take the matter up immediately and have it put to the test. If individual subscription be necessary, we are ready to contribute.