This section is from "The Horticulturist, And Journal Of Rural Art And Rural Taste", by P. Barry, A. J. Downing, J. Jay Smith, Peter B. Mead, F. W. Woodward, Henry T. Williams. Also available from Amazon: Horticulturist and Journal of Rural Art and Rural Taste.
To grow a few large berries, it is only necessary to select, so soon as you can after the fruit sets, three or four of the most promising berries, and pick off all the rest, and then not let the plant want for moisture or food until it is ripe. To grow large fruit of the Alpine strawberry, it is best to raise new plants from seed every season, letting them fruit but one season, and then replace them with new plants. This class of strawberry reproduces itself from seed without any considerable variation".
A large amount of matter prepared for this number, besides many valuable communications, are necessarily laid over till next month. "Notes on Foreign Grapes," by A. Messer, Esq., of Geneva, should have appeared in this number, but was accidentally overlooked.
An exchange says: " Don't hurry them into a warm room, as you would a frost* bitten chicken. Let them remain where they were frozen, close the window shutters or drop the curtains, so as to make the room quite dark; then sprinkle the plants with cold water, direct from the cistern, and wait the result.
" Do not allow the room to become warmer than forty-seven degrees for twenty-four hours. If a few drops of the spirits of camphor are thrown into the dish before sprinkling, it will be all the better. Plants treated in this way, though frozen so badly that water will freeze in drops on the leaves when sprinkled, yet by keeping the room dark and cold for an entire day, they will come out unharmed".
Like all the reptiles the toad changes its skin, but the cast envelope is never found, although those of the serpents are common enough. The reason why it is not found is this: the toad is an economical animal, and does not choose that so much substance should be wasted. So after the skin has been entirely thrown off, the toad takes its old coat in its two fore-paws, and dexterously rolls it, and pats it, and twists it, until the coat has been formed into a ball. It is then taken between the paws, pushed into the mouth, and swallowed at a gulp like a big pill.
With the exception of a few instances of unnecessary prolixity of description, and the habit of giving free notices, or advertisements of sundry agricultural implements and warehouses, which no author ought to introduce into his works, this volume - The Apple Culturist - is not only the best of Mr. Todd's works, but is the most practical work on Apple culture yet published in this country, and well adapted to the use of every farmer. The publishers (Harper & Bros.) have done their work handsomely, filling it with a profusion of engravings of great interest, and a material help to the body of reading matter. If the faults we have named could be corrected, we see no reason why it should not be acknowledged of a meritorious rank with any of the standard agricultural publications of the day.
The following officers and members of committees have been chosen for the current year:
FREDERICK BISSELL, President Hrnrt Bennett, Vice President C. E. PerIGo, Secretary A D. Pelton Treasurer.
 
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