Dipladenia Amoena

This valuable acquisition among stove plants has been raised from seed of D. amabalis by Mr. Tuke, of Bramley, near Leeds. The flowers are three inches in diameter, and the foliage a more intense green than the parent. Mr. T., who is a successful grower of this fine genus, uses as a compost rough fibrous peat, sand, and a few rough bones.

Dipladenia Bolivians

This plant was shown in flower for the first time in Great Britain at the Royal Horticultural Society's show on the 16th June by Messrs Veitch. The flowers are very distinct in color from those of the other dipladenias, being white, with a yellow throat, and measure about two inches in diameter. - Cottage Gardener.

Disbudding Potatoes

A friend of ours has a strong belief in good seed, of whatever kind, and of the profit of good, sensible cultivation. Accordingly, he plants whole potatoes, and all of a full medium size, designed, as he says, to supply well-ripened seed - he holding that the extra overgrown tubes, as well as the small ones, are imperfect. As they grow, at the time the tops are four or five inches high, he goes over them, taking away from each hill all but one strong vigorous shoot. Our friend grows good potatoes.

Discretionary Premiums

E. P. Prentice, Bethlehem,chairman. D. T. Vail,Troy; Wm. Cooper, Guilder-land; Jacob Henry, Water-vIiet; E. E. Piatt, Albany.

Diseases

In France, last year, sulphur was used with eminent success as a remedy for the "oidium" - a disease similar to the mildew and rot in this country. Many of our vine-dressers intend to scatter flour of sulphur under their vines soon after the first hoeing, and again early in July, in hopes it may in some measure prevent those diseases. It will probably also be obnoxious to insects.

Another method is, syringing the vines and fruit bunches with sulphur and lime-water. Ten pounds of flour of sulphur, and half a bushel of lime, to forty gallons of water, mixed first with ten gallons of hot water.

These experiments will not be expensive, and may possibly be found useful.

The wine may undergo the second fermentation about the time of the blossoming of the grape. Loosen the bungs of the casks. In a few days it will be over; then drive the bung in tight again.

Diseases Of The Pear

The Pear has several times in this country been subject to the most fatal epidemics. Men and animals are not alone the victims of pestilence, but Nature suffers these violent perturbations through all her dominions. It is not surprising that the sudden loss of one tenth of a fine pear orchard should discourage and alarm the fruit-grower; still he ought not to forget that its cause is exceptional, and will pass away. These diseases, though prevailing for several seasons in succession, occur only at long intervals; and the period of a disease being terminated, we may usually calculate upon exemption from it for a considerable time.

Diseases Of The Potato

A series of experiments made by Professor Ville, in France, show that the diseases that attack the potato are in part the result of a deficiency in the supply of potash in the soil. For five years in succession the Professor planted potatoes in the same soil without any fertilizer; to other plots of ground he added fertilizers that did not contain potash. In all these cases the fruit became diseased in the month of May, while on the other plots where potash was supplied in sufficient quantity, the plants were healthy and yielded an excellent product.