This is a capital description of the Apple Scale, by one of the most promising Entomologists in Ohio. - Ohio farmer.

Remarks #1

We think our correspondent does not fully understand what we mean by the term degeneration of a variety of fruit.

By this phrase, we mean that enfeebling of a variety frequently exhibited after it has been cultivated for a great number of years. When this happens, it requires great care and the highest culture, to produce as luxuriant growth, or as fine fruit upon trees of that variety, as when it was first originated.

Now every practical cultivator knows, that there are sorts of apples and pears which come under this head - the fruit of which no longer sustains its old reputation.

As we notice nothing of this sort among grapes - the oldest varieties - like the Royal Muscadine and Black Hamburgh, or even the Burgundy - bearing in a favorable soil and climate, as good fruit, and as abundant crops as ever, we were led to say, (and we think Van Mons has somewhere said the same thing,) that varieties of the vine do not seem to degenerate. - or grow feeble by long culture. - like other fruits.

As a proof that it is want of proper climate which alone deters us from the successful cultivation of the grape in the open air, in this country, we need only refer to the numerous vineries in the northern states, bearing every season the finest grapes, in the greatest abundance - without fire-heat - simply by the improved climate produced by regulating the temperature within, so as to avoid sudden changes, etc.

Mr. Togno is sanguine as to the introduction of the foreign grape in this country, for open vineyard culture. The thing is impossible. Thousands of individuals have tried it on a small scale in various parts of the Union; and several persons - as for example, M. Loubat, Mr. Longwobth, etc., of great experience abroad or knowledge at home, joined to abundant capital, have tried it on a small scale. The result in every case has been the same; - a season or two of promise, then utter failure, and finally complete abandonment of the theory. The only vineyards ever successful in America, are those of American grapes. As it is a pretty well established axiom, that the hardiness of a variety of tree or plant, is not affected by grafting it on a hardier stock - though its luxuriant growth may be promoted by it. - we doubt if our correspondent will find the mildew less inclined to make havoc on his foreign grapes, when worked on our wild stocks. If he really wishes to acclimate the foreign grape here, he must go to the seeds, and raise two or three new generations in the American soil and climate. They will then get American constitutions - which no grafting, pruning, training or manuring, will give them.

The only thing that we can do for them, is to cheat them into the belief that they are in the warmer parts of on healthy stocks impairs the vigor of a sort - but only that any given variety which has been propagated in this way time and again, for 100 years, is very likely, in the course of that time, to have been put upon an unhealthy stock, and hence to have lost some of its original vigor.

Little encouragement as we can give to Mr. Togno, in his plan of making vineyards of foreign grapes in this country, we look with considerable interest upon his attempt to introduce here a largo collection of foreign grapes. It is by no means imposssible, that some one or two varieties little known in the gardens, but better known in the vineyards of Europe, may yet be found to stand our climate - though we cannot say that such a variety has yet been found. Ed.

Remarks #2

The most popular standard strawberries, at the present moment - for general cultivation - are Large Early Scarlet, Hovey's Seedling, and Burr's New Pine.

The majority of cultivators appear to assent to the doctrine of the necessity of having a few staminate sorts like the Early Scarlet, growing near a patch composed wholly of pistillate blossoms, like Hovey's Seedling and Burr's New Pine. But there are still, experienced cultivators, like Mr. Hogg of New York - who deny the necessity, and hold that pistillate sorts in good soil, and with good culture, will bear the finest crops. Practically, however, one bed of the Large Early Scarlet appears to be sufficient to fertilize a dozen beds of pistillate sorts - so that in actual culture the thing is very simple. We may add, that in England strawberry growers pay no attention to staminate or pistillate flowers - yet the largest and finest strawberries in the world are grown there. They contend

Remarks #3

Our correspondent has, we think, failed in planting Chestnuts, because he has neglected to observe that they have strong tap roots - running directly downwards, and which he probably cut off without mercy in removing them. This tap root is always found in chestnuts, oaks, and tulip trees, etc, but not in elms, maples, and ashes, which accounts for the comparative facility of removing the latter. If he would take pains to ball a chestnut, and include the tap root in the ball - at the same time reducing the top by shortening-back every limb about one-fourth, at the time of transplanting, (for a chestnut should rarely be touched with a knife at any other time,) we think he would have no cause to complain of want of success. Ed.

Remarks #4

We give the preference to the Buckthorn, over any plant yet tried, for farm hedges. It will grow in any soil, makes a thick hedge with very little time or labor, needs clipping but once a year, and may be trimmed when the leaves are off, at any time when the farmer has least to do. Besides this, it is less liable to be attacked by disease, insects or vermin, than any other hedge plant in our knowledge, and may be raised from seed as easily as peas. It is a little wanting in thorns when young, but gets stiff enough to turn cattle while it has been sheared three or four years. Ed.