WHAT TIME SHALL WE CUT TIMBER? Never in winter, but always in summer.

It

the leading and broader portions of the garden a more airy and open character. Still, in any case, unless it be purely for show, a certain amount of should be cut during the most rapid season of privacy onght, assuredly to be sought after. And growth, and while that season is drawing tothe more thoroughly it is gained, the more plea-wards a close. The same rule should be folsurable to most persons, and the more accordant lowed that skilful nurserymen observe in perwith good taste, will be the entire production." forming the operation of budding, that is, just This principle is applicable in all countries, as the terminal bud on each branch begins to because the purposes of a garden are everywhere to form, as soon as it is first evident that the the same. We remember having seen a street growth of the branch is about to terminate, but garden, in the city of Baltimore, which struck us, is still in active progress. Experienced treeat the time, as being admirably arranged, to adapt it to the situation and circumstances. In order to propagators have found that, much earlier than break the view from the street to the house, the this, the juices of the tree are in too thin or ground was thrown up into irregular and natural liquid a state to form a good adhesion between looking mounds, and these were planted with trees. the bud and the peeled surface. From the moThe entrance walk was carried through the ele- ment that the bark separates freely from the vations, and gave a fine view of the dwelling from wood, these juices continue to thicken, until ' the street, without causing any objectionable growth ceases altogether, and the new wood is degree of exposure. The same amount of seclusion completely formed; and when this new wood is could not have been obtained without either very in the state of a thick paste or cement, then is high walls, or very thick and formal belts of trees the time that the bud will adhere most perfectly. and shrubs. Undulation of surface might, in very This is the period when the bark may be peeled many cases, aid in relieving the lawns of cottage from a tree without destroying its vitality. And residences of that monotony and nakedness which this is the time for cutting timber. Early in a perfectly level, closely-mown surface presents. spring, the tree is full of sap, which is little else There is another point in the arrangement of than pure water, and which has been gradually suburban gardens, that we think seldom receives accumulating through winter by the absorption proper attention, and that is, the concealment of of the roots, with no outlet for its escape, as the fences that form the boundaries, and such there is in summer through myriads of leaves. other neighboring objects, of a disagreeable or While the tree is thus replete with water, it is unsightly character, as may obtrude themselves in the worst condition to be cut. But towards on the view, from either the house or garden. It midsummer, when a portion of this water has is impossible to select a situation, in any neigh- passed off through the leaves, and the rest has bourhood, wholly exempt from objectional features; been much thickened by conversion into material but, in most cases, they may be excluded from for wood, the case is very different; for while sight, by judicious formation of the ground, and the watery sap promotes only decay, the thickdistribution of trees. We know a gentleman who ened juices soon dry and harden, and assist in is unfortunate enough to have for his next the preservation of the wood. neighbour a low, filthy fellow, whose premises are We have recently been furnished with a numan almost insufferable nuisance. He would gladly ber of facts in corroboration of this opinion, by purchase his ground, and pay him twice as much Isaac Hathaway of Farmington, Ontario County, as it is worth; but he will not sell. Now, instead N.Y., an old and enterprising settler, a close of having merely a low, open board fence, between and extensive observer, and who has had much him and such a neighbour, he should have dense screens of foliage, to shut out completely such a experience in connexion with saw-mills and timber erections. All his observations tend to disagreeable boundary. Rapid-growing trees, such as Silver Maples, Pawlonias, European Larch, show the great difference between winter and and Norway Spruce, will make an effective ob- summer cut timber, and induce him to think struction, in three or four years. If the grounds that, cut at the best period, it will last under be too small to admit trees of such large size, then the average of circumstances three times as long live hedges, such as Thorn, Osage Orange, Buck-as when felled in winter. In one instance, a thorn; or evergreens, such as Arbor Vita, Hem- fence, consisting of winter-cut materials, a part lock, Red Cedar, or Spruce, all of which may be split into rails, and a portion in round poles, of allowed to grow up (for a screen), without shear- beech, maple, iron-wood, bass-wood, &c., had ing, except on the sides. completely decayed in fifteen years, and none of

it was even fit for firewood.

In another case, a cornfield to potatoes, without any application quantity of bass-wood rails were cut in sum- until after the first hoeing, when, having some mer, and split from the brown or heart portion plaster left after plastering my corn, I applied of the tree. This was done about fifty years it to about half of my potatoes on the hill. At ago; thirty years afterwards the fence was the second hoeing a vast difference was percepquite sound, and even now some of the same tible in the vines. The plastered part continued rails remain undecayed, although much worn in advance through the season. At the time of away by the weather. Winter saw-logs, left digging, they proved to be double the quantity, over one summer at the mill, are usually much decayed for several inches towards the interior; summer-cut logs, which have lain a like period, are always sound. He has cut hickory for axehelves; if done in winter, decay soon commences, and the worm which loves this wood, often wholly destroys its value. Summer-cut, he has never known it to be attacked by the insect, and indeed it seems too hard for them to penetrate. He has had occasion to examine several old frames of buildings, and in every instance where the period of cutting could be determined, the same striking difference in durability was conspicuous.

and of a much larger size. There were some indication that some had decayed among the whole, but no more of the plastered ones than the other. I shall try the same plan this year." BUTTER FROM AN ALDERNEY Cow.-It appears by a statement in the Boston Cultivator that from the milk of an Alderney cow, called "Flora," 5 years old in April last, there was made from the 11th May 1853 to the 26th April 1854, the extraordinary amount of 511 pounds of butter. Flora is owned by Thos. Motley, Jr., Jamaica Plains. Mr. M. says- From Nov. 8th till the time we stopped making butter, she had about a half bushel of either ruta bagas or He related several experiments on the dura- carrots, and two quarts of corn and cob meal bility of posts, one of which is worthy of repeti- per day, in addition to hay, or most of the time tion. In a gravelly soil, where the water never eat straw fodder. The last 3 months it took remains, a stone bottom, a few inches thick, was almost exactly five quarts of milk to make one laid in the post hole, on which the post was set, pound of butter. She is to calve June 10, 1854. and was then surrounded with stone closely CALIFORNIA WHEAT CROP.--An immense rammed in on every side. As a consequence, breadth of land was sown to wheat the last the water never remains long enough in contact autumn, and the crop is now represented in the with the post to soak its interior, as would be most flourishing condition, It is said that the the case if damp earth passed its outer surface. larger portion of the yield last year averaged Such posts consequently give promise of remain- 50, and frequently as high as 60 to 70 bushels ing sound, after some years' trial, at least twice per acre. Estimating the present crop at only the period of those simply packed in earth. He thirty bushels, of which there can be no doubt also finds that posts of what is termed the white it is thought that it will be abundant to supply cedar in western New York (the American arbor all the wants of the State.

vitæ) last much longer when set green with the ADULTERATION OF GUANO.-It needs no bark on, than if sawed and seasoned, which he argument to show that farmers who purchase attributes to the protection afforded by the concentrated manures, should procure them of durable bark, against the vicissitudes of rain manufacturers of strict integrity and veracity. and drouth, and the air and weather generally.* A case in illustration recently occurred in EngNow that the season is approaching, best land, where a dealer at Exeter had bought adapted for timber-cutting, as indicated in the largely of merchants at Bristol, an article which preceding remarks, we hope those interested proved bad, and in an action at law to recover will at least satisfy themselves on the subject damages, it was proved that the merchants had by a fair and careful trial. sent the dealer a false and fraudulent analysis, PLASTER FOR POTATOES.-"I have planted forged for the occasion; and their foreman on all kinds of land; and to my satisfaction, stated on examination, that loam, sand, turfhave found that dry, poor land is best, because ashes, and salt, were largely used in the manuthey are much less subject to be destroyed by that baneful scourge, the potato rot. I last year planted the driest and poorest part of

my

* In ordinary instances, however, above ground, the bark, by preventing seasoning, only accelerates decay.

facture of this artificial guano; that the various ingredients were mixed with a shovel, and that it took about 10 hours to prepare 50 tons. Wonder if these manufacturers place the notice no admittance," over the door?

66

flowers and white feathers.

DESTROYING CANADA THISTLES.-" Is there glace silk; small flowers are scattered over the any mode of eradicating Canada thistles from bonnet, and shaded green and white feathers land, short of digging them out, roots and all? placed low at each side: in the interior are Is there a chemical agent that will destroy them? A man is travelling about here, selling a white powder, which dries them up when applied to the cut surface when mowed-he claims it will kill them permanently—please tell me what it is, and if there is any virtue in it?" S. H. W. Easton, Pa.

No. 2. The mantilla on this figure is of white glace silk, cut in a full-sized talma, and embroidered in a vine and upright pattern of leaves and forget-me-nots, worked in straw. A deep white fringe surrounds the bottom, headed with a fold of silk, dotted with delicate straw buttons. The dress of pink silk has two very deep flounces, the upper one pinked at the edge. The bonnet is tulle and white silk, mingled in alternate puffs, trimmed with moss roses and apple geen ribbon.

DESCRIPTION OF SECOND PLATE.

Canada thistles are easily killed on heavy soils, by plowing them under completely, once a month for the season, which smothers them, and the roots die. Unless the leaves, which are the lungs of a plant, can develop themselves No. 1.-Is a mantilla of Chantilly lace but above the surface, the plants cannot breathe, though it is cut talma shape behind, the front and will die in one season. The success of the forms a rich pelerine that falls in drapery The edge is operation depends of course, on keeping down when the arms are in repose. every thistle plant below the surface On light worked in shallow gather points traversed with a chain of polka spots; above this is a border or gravelly soils, they cannot be so completely of the most delicate leaves mingled closely, smothered, and in addition to the ploughing, from which portion, flowers drop gracefully Boughton's subsoil cultivator" or thistle- into the points; a rising pattern of intricate digger, described some months ago in this jour-wild vine, interspersed with passion flowers, covers the entire garment which is completed nal, and which is in fact a two-horse paring- by a small rounding collar starred with passion plow, will prove an efficient auxiliary. Mineral flowers. poisons usually prove destructive to vegetables; but it would puzzle a very shrewd man to know a "white powder" some hundreds of miles distant, without ever seeing it. If it kills all the thistles above ground for one entire season, they must of course be "permanently" killed, for the reasons already stated; but such an agent could be of little value in any way, because the labor of applying to every individual in a thistle-patch of only one acre, containing probably a million stalks, would be no trifling task, compared to plowing in four or five times."

It is always necessary that an over garment of lace should fall amply and in light folds around the dress, otherwise a meagre effect is produced that destroys all the richness that may lie in the material. The garments we have described are faultless in this particular, and truth to say, in every other point.

No. 2. Is a chemisette of fine lace, edged about the neck and down the front with two with a rich edging of Valenciennes lace. This rows of fine Valenciennes insertion, finished beautiful front is finished with four or five delicate tucks in the lace which forms the body.

No. 3.-Is an infant's cloak, of fine white merino. The form is a graceful Talma, with a It is sur

MRS. GRUNDY'S GATHERINGS. deep cape and small round collar.

DESCRIPTION OF FIRST PLATE.

CARRIAGE COSTUME.

rounded by a vine of the most perfect silk embroidery-the pattern roses in clusters, with their leaves wreathed in with French lilacs, which gives the design great richness and No. 1.-Dress of violet colored silk; the piquancy. The cape is almost covered with skirt long and full has three flounces a disposi- upright clusters of the same flowers, that, gradtion. Basquine body very open in the front nating as the cape decreases, gives that stylish and crossed by narrow bands a disposition; grace to the garment which an artistic hand from under each band falls a row of lace which can alone impart. The lining is of glossy is set on with a little fulness; the edge of body white silk.

and basquine is finished to correspond with the No. 4.-Is a chemisette of fine muslin, flounces; the front is of the marquise form. enriched with French needlework. The collar The sleeves are wide, and open in the front of is medium size, and has a close border completethe arm to the shoulder; the opening crossed ly covered with work and finished with Maltese to correspond with the front: some ladies pre- lace. The front is formed with two puffs, a fer black lace which may be used, but has not row of needlework, and edged with lace like so distinguee an appearance. Bonnet of white that on the collar, inside the puffs are three blond, the crown covered with pale green rows of tucks.

from mist, some graceful morning caps, adapted GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON FASHION to the half gay, half rustic life our fashionables are leading just now. We will describe one or

AND DRESS.

two.

The fashions for the season are now generally The first is composed of beautiful worked confirmed, and we find on a review that much muslin and Valenciennes lace. The crown is that was considered most distinguished in the in the medallion style; that is to say, circular last season, has adapted itself to the novelties pieces of open needle-work are inserted, of this. Thus, chequered silks are fashionable and bordered by narrow Valenciennes edging. as ever. It is hardly possible they should be Loops of colored ribbon, intermingled with otherwise, considering the varieties in colour and Valenciennes, form the border round the face. pattern, and the richness of texture displayed A bow at the back, and strings of the same in the newest silks of this description. The ribbon. checquers are of all sizes, some very large and others small. Many of the silks of small pat- The other has a crown formed of fine clear terns have flounces edged with stripes of a color muslin, ornamented with elaborate needlework. different from those of the checquers. We have The border consists of quillings of ribbon; and seen a dress composed of this kind of silk. The next to the face a very narrow edging of Valen pattern was in fawn-colour and white, and the ciennes. Strings and bow behind of the same dress was trimmed with five flounces, each ribbon.

bordered with stripes of dark-blue satin, woven in the silk. The stripes were of graduated Another dress was composed of chequered widths, the lowest rather broad. Three similar grenadine; the ground white, and the pattern, stripes ornamented the edge of the basque and which was not very large, was in beautiful ends of the sleeves. A dress checquered with shades of pink. The skirt had three broad light-brown and white, has the flounces striped flounces, each edged with white watered ribbon, with ten or twelve very narrow rows of cerise-bordered with pink. The corsage and sleeves colour. Another dress of a small chequered are trimmed with quillings of ribbon. A sash pattern green and white, has five flounces edged or ceinture of white watered ribbon, edged with with green stripes graduating from a deep to a pink was fixed in a point at the back of the pale tint. The corsage is open in front, and waist, under a bow, and the ribbon carried up the opening is filled up by alternate rows of each side to the shoulders. Thence it passed Valenciennes insertion and narrow green ribbon, down to the point in front of the corsage, disposed en echelle. At the two extremities, where the long ends were left to flow over the and in the centre of each row of ribbon, are skirt of the dress. The ribbon was fixed at fixed small rosettes. Thus three series of each shoulder by a cluster of loops and two rosettes ornament the front from the waist flowing ends. The head dress consisted of two upwards. A vandyked collar is worn with this pendant sprays of white lilac placed at the back dress, composed of rows of Valenciennes inser- of the head and drooping on each side of the tion, alternating with narrow frills of Valen-neck. A scarf of plain tulle was thrown lightly ciennes lace. The sleeves are of the pagoda over the shoulders.

A VERY RECHECHE DINNER COSTUME.

velvet may

form and trimmed with three frills of silk and two of worked muslin, edged with Valenciennes lace. With this dress are to be worn a scarf mantelet of worked muslin, with revers, and trimmed with deep frilling, and a bonnet of fancy straw. The bonnet is trimmed on the Dress of light colored silk, the skirt with outside with green wheat-ears, and the under-four flounces: at the edge of each flounce is trimming consists of foliage of Green blonde woven a wreath of velvet leaves; stamped intermingled with small clematis blossoms, be used which will produce nearly white and pale pink. the same effect: a low pointed body is attached to the skirt, over which is worn a basquine Muslins are much worn at the various body, three quarters high at the back, and not fashionable resorts this season, the tasteful meeting in the front, but shewing the low body; variety which ribbons give to this simple style it is trimmed with stamped velvet, the pattern of toilet is calculated to lend favor to them. corresponding to that on the flounces. The Colored skirts with canezou of white lace or sleeve is novel and extremely elegant; it has a muslin are very coquettish and charming; the small plain piece at the top of the arm into canezou is trimmed with ribbons to match the which is set a very full bouillon sleeve of white skirts, nothing can be more youthful and unpre-silk or muslin, which reaches nearly to the tending than this pretty dress for a young lady, especially if she is slight and graceful.

elbow; over this white sleeve are bands of silk terminating in a loop at the bottom, and below falls a deep lace ruffle; small bows are placed But embroideries and laces form an indispens- round the bottom of the plain piece: the apable feature of an elegant toilet, and we must pearance is that of a very full slashed sleeve. not omit to mention them. In addition to the Small lace cap trimmed with pale blue ribbon pretty morning caps of tulle that seem woven and rosebuds.

CLOVERFIELD.—Your Enigma appears this month consi-R 4th and Q Kt sq; Kts at Q 7th and Q Kt 4th. derably altered, though we think we have maintained your idea.

PHILLIS.-Your communication was received too late to

be acknowledged last month.

BLACK.-K at Q 5th; Rs at K B sq and 3d; Bat K R 3d; Ps at K 6th, Q 4th, and Q Kt 3d You have solved Enigmas and 6th. 28 and 29 correctly. You have failed in the Problem. Solution to Problem 9 by J. H. R. is correct. Solutions to Enigma in our last by J. B., Amy, and C. C., are correct.

White to play and mate in two moves. No. 33. Curious Partito Practico, from Lolli's "Centuria di Partiti."

WHITE.-K at his R sq; R at K Kt 2nd; R at QB sq.

BLACK.-K at Q B 3d; R at K Kt 2d; Kt at K Kt 3d; B at Q B 4th; Ps at K R 3d and Q Kt 3d.

White to draw the game in ONE move. REMARKABLE DISCOVERY OF VALUABLE M.SS. ON CHESS.

A discovery of singular interest-not simply to the votaries of chess, but to all who have a taste for mediævallore-has recently been made in two of the fine libraries of Florence. Signor Fantacci, Ministero del' Interno, has succeeded in disinterring from the dust in which they have slumbered, uncatalogued and unknown for centuries, some M.SS. on Chess, of priceless rarity. Immediately upon the discovery of these treasures, M. Fantacci, with a liberality rase as the M.SS. themselves, set about procuring copies of the chief works; and with the sanction of the Grand Duke, placed the whole, in the most flattering manner, at the disposal of Mr. Staunton, a noble compliment to that gentleman's services in the promotion of the game of chess.

Some idea of the value and importance of these M.SS. both to the chess-player and the bibliopole, may be formed from the following list of those of which copies have been completed, or are in progress :

1. A beautiful parchment M.S., in Latin, by Bonus Socius (evidently a pseudonym), containing finely-executed diagrams, in colours, of problems and curious End games, supposed to be one of the earliest European works on practical chess extant, and to have been written at the latter end of the thirteenth, or beginning of the fourteenth century.

2. A parchment M.S., in Latin, of the fifteenth century, containing problems and critical positions.