of those wealthy citizens of Chicago whose desire for retirement, fine seats, and the delights of rural life, induce them to leave its dusty, noisy streets.

The lake-shore between Chicago and Waukegan is high, broken ground, mostly covered with a fine growth of timber. The soil is well adapted to the raising of fruit and gardening. Much taste is displayed both in the laying out of the towns and the improvement of residences, and horticulture is the staple of our delights. As I read your "Visits to Country Places," I cannot help imagining the day when the western shore of Lake Michigan shall vie with the shores of the Hudson. H. B. HURD.

It is gratifying to find, by several similar notices, that the article on the "Rationale of Draining Lands," page 500 of the last volume of the Horticulturist, has proved a most satisfactory elucidation, in a very simple form, of the most important theory, perhaps, of modern culture. If there are any who have skipped it, we beg they will turn to the page.

We can readily imagine the future editor describing the "Country Places" of Illinois with rapture; for intelligence is a characteristic of even its pioneer horticulturists. Our correspondent, we are convinced, is well able to give us some insight now, and why should he not?

Maps are too often behind the age, but efforts are constantly made to remedy this; when they will catch up with the current events of the day, is a problem rapidly solving at the very office of the Horticulturist, where more maps are coined every day than at any other manufactory in the world.-Ed.

ELGIN, KANE COUNTY, ILLINOIS, Sept. 27, 1856. RESPECTED SIR: I wish that I could write interestingly to you, and give you a correct description of this section of the far West. I have taken up my residence here for the present. I have been into different places about here, and have had a look-out for the fruit of the country, both tame and wild.

The apple grows very smooth; the bark has a smooth, bright surface generally, but they do not grow as tall as in the Eastern States, but the limbs are very free from moss; very little attention is paid to the cultivation of good kinds of apples, so far as I can learn. The cold of last winter was very hard for fruit growing. I cannot believe that this part of Illinois will be a good fruit growing country. Peaches were all killed last winter. I am informed, that once in five or six years they have a good crop of peaches. I have conversed with many persons in this vicinity, and also of persons at Rockford, Rock River, who say that many farmers have mostly given up fruit growing.

I have been into the woods some. I found any quantity of the common crab-apple. I have frequently counted from fifteen to twenty in a clump, and fully loaded with fruit. No particular use is made of the fruit: wild plums, the thorn-apple, and the nanny berry. I believe that the crab apple-tree would made a good hedge; it grows very thrifty, and is perfectly hardy.

Inclosed I send you a rose-bud, which I found about a mile north of Rockford, Rock River; it grew upon the open prairie. I wish you to see what you can do with it. I also send you the nannyberry, which grew on the banks of Fox River, near this place. The timber which I have seen growing in the woods is principally oak (three kinds), walnut, slippery elm, baswood, white ash; but a very few of the last mentioned could I find. If anything which I have written is worthy of your notice, please accept it from a friend, and one who is fond of the beautiful in all places, and an admirer of the Horticulturist. H. DAVIS.

DISPLAY AT EXHIBITIONS.-A late visitor at the London Crystal Palace, says: "One thing must have been evident to every one who took an interest in the exhibition, that to stage fruit is by no means the best way of showing it to advantage. When a stage is preferred

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to a flat surface, it never ought to be much higher than that of an ordinary table, and, in all cases, there should be a division down the centre covered with green baize, or some other cheap material, so as to prevent more being seen than the eye can easily examine in passing. In the present case, the stage was much higher than it ought to have been, and too narrow. The fruit on the upper tier was so elevated as to be completely hid from the sight of all ordinary spectators; and many exhibitors must have regretted to find the objects of their care and anxiety in the position they occupied. The want of a screen down the centre was apparent to every one, from its permitting them to see the props and other expedients resorted to by exhibitors in order to display their boxes of fruit to the best advantage."

Horticultural Societies.

PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.-The stated meeting of this Society occurred at Concert Hall, on Tuesday evening, November 18, 1856, Caleb Cope in the chair. Numerous premiums were awarded.

The Committee called the attention of the Society to the growth of the Chrysanthemums from John Anspach's, being the most luxuriant of any collection exhibited for a long time. By the Committee on Fruits. Apples, collection of fifty specimens. Special Premiumsof five dollars to Richard Matthews, gr. to Jos. S. Lovering, for six vines of Black Hamburg Grapes in pots; of five dollars to Jerome Graff, gr. to Caleb Cope, for an interesting collection of cut Grapes, consisting of four varieties; of five dollars to Chas. Sutherland, gr. to J. Anspach, for six Pine-Apples grown in pots.

Vegetables. The Committee call the attention of the Society to a dish of Potatoes grown in Luzerne County, called the Dooryard-very superior in quality, and of large size. The Committee were gratified to report to the Society that the display of vegetables made this evening, was superior to any that we have had for many months.

The Committee for establishing premiums, reported a schedule for the year 1857, which, on being amended, was adopted.

Five gentlemen were elected members of the Society.

OBJECTS SHOWN.-Plants from M. W. Baldwin's greenhouse: Chrysanthemum var. Galatia, Solundia grandiflora, Clerodendron fallax, Eulopia Mackai, Veronica Andersoni, Daphne indica rubra, and specimen Posoquira longiflora.

From John Anspach. A collection of twelve large var. Chrysanthemums, a collection of twelve dwarf varieties, and specimens of both kinds.

From John Tucker's gr. A specimen of Cuculia gratissima, in fine flower, and very fragrant. By Alexander Parker. A collection of Chrysanthema and other plants.

A Table Design, a Basket, and various pairs of Hand-Bouquets.

Fruits. From John Anspach's conservatory, Pine-Apples, in pots, three Black Jamaica, and three Queens.

From Jos. S. Lovering's grapehouses. Six pots of Black Hamburg Grapes in pots.

From C. Cope's grapery.

Cut bunches of Grapes-twelve Muscat of Alexander, eight West's St. Peters, seven Black Hamburg, and three Chasselas of Fontainbleau.

By Isaac B. Baxter. Fifty Pears-twelve Duchesse, ten Passe Colmar, ten B. Rance, ten St. Germain, and eight Napoleon; also ten clusters of winter Grapes.

By Saml. W. Noble, Montgomery Co. Apples-sixteen varieties.

By John Perkins, Moorestown, N. J. Apples-ten varieties.

By Thos. Meghean, Mrs. Wetherill's gr. Two kinds of Apples, and one of Pears.

Calendar of Operations.

BY WILLIAM SAUNDERS.

JANUARY.

THE Calendar of Operations, a new feature of the Horticulturist commenced with the last volume, is always considered of interest by the gardener and amateur, as reminding both employer and employed of duties in prospect for the coming month, but no Calendar can

be sufficiently extensive to embrace all the operations required for each season. In a work like this, which must be cheap to insure its circulation, and therefore limited in its pages, and where every useless word is to be stricken out, a monthly résumé of any great length would be improper. We shall, however, endeavor to give such hints as we deem important, studying brevity rather than diffuseness, and dealing more in principles than detail.

VEGETABLE GARDEN.-The successful gardener will by this time have ridged up his vegetable ground for winter, but in such parts of the Union where the ground is not at this time bound up with frost, he may continue to do so in the waste quarters, first giving them such manure as they require.

Repair fences, rub out and clean your seeds, prepare labels, nails, and twigs, get all garden tools in repair, provide pea-rods and poles for Lima and other running beans, to be ready for use when wanted. Cauliflower, lettuce, and other plants in frames, should be kept dry; cover them up during snow storms, taking care to expose them to sunshine gradually thereafter. Snow is a very effectual covering against frost, and may be allowed to remain with advantage for a week or ten days if the weather is severe.

GRAPERY.-In the early grapery, the vines having advanced some inches, the temperature should be gradually increased. The cold houses should be well aired, rarely or never entirely closed, the borders kept dry, the outside portions protected by wooden or glazed sashes; if the latter, lettuce, strawberries, &c., may be cultivated; from its forcing habit, the Sir Harry will be found to be excellent, as well as the British Queen. Straw will be placed over the vines now, in a horizontal position, in the cold house.

Strawberries should be lightly covered with manure, short hay, or leaves, and they will be grateful for it when the time of bearing arrives. Raspberries should be now, if they have not been already, under protection, by laying down the vines and covering them with soil. Peach-trees in pots may be kept in the grapery in a cool place. Keep the roots dry, and cover to prevent freezing. Root grafting is now advantageously attended to, and the roots set in boxes of earth are placed in a cool cellar.

GREENHOUSE.-By day the temperature may average 600 or 650, and at night 400. Keep your tender plants in the warm end, and water those most that are in flower. Pinch the points of the shoots of plants intended for the flower garden to make them stocky and strengthen their growth. Syringe your camellias freely in fine weather. Fumigate twice a month to keep down the green fly, and throw a small quantity of sulphur occasionally on the heating apparatus to destroy red spider.

• FLOWER GARDEN.-While but little can be done here for the present, manure and composts may be applied, walks repaired, and a general oversight inducing to cleanliness observed. Both here and in the

PLEASURE GROUNDS AND SHRUBBERY, do everything that can facilitate spring operations; dig out and prepare the ground for trees, laying beside each hole, leaf mould or other materials ready for spring planting.

FRAMES will require regular attention; new linings of hot manure and leaves or litter must be given whenever the temperature requires, and if the weather is cold, wet, or snowy, it may be proper to lay a quantity of dry long litter all round the general lining, which will protect the whole from driving cold rains and snow, and preserve the heat of the bed in a fine growing temperature. Every good gardener prides himself on having now, at least, an abundance of good salad, placed in the frame in November. Cresses, mustard, radishes, and lettuce may be sown in a slight hotbed, and a succession should always be kept up. Asparagus may be forced any time this month for February or March. Take plants of three or four years' growth, and keep the temperature equable, admitting air as often as the weather will allow.

PRUNING, ETC.-Give a careful perusal to the best works on pruning, as much may be done in fine weather to fruit trees and grape-vines; the latter, in ordinary seasons, may be trimmed in February, and in extreme winters, early in March.

Mulch your newly planted fruit trees, particularly the choicest of the stone-fruit kinds, if not already done. Pear-trees should be protected in this way, and if in an orchard, will be benefited by laying long litter on the surface of the roots. This is a matter of great importance. Most of our winter killed trees are destroyed when the soil around the roots is frozen; there is no absorption, and the tree is placed in the same position as if cut over at the surface, and stuck in the ground. A position it cannot long survive.