Fruit Shipping

The scheme adopted by the Chicago & West Michigan railway for running its fruit train provides that shippers are to load into the cars, and the station agent is to act as receiving agent, checking off the fruit and giving receipts to those who desire them. Fruit is to be delivered at the expense of the shipper. This is very nearly the "granger" system of the Illinois Central, and there can be no question that it, or some modified form of the same, will prove highly satisfactory and successful. - Allegan (Mich.) Gazette.

Garden Furniture, Tents And Arbors

Garden furniture of iron, bamboo and rattan is now made in Paris with exquisite taste ; and some exhibitors had brought some interesting things both for the winter garden and for places exposed to all weathers. For the winter gardens, the style of China and japan is still imitated. Garden chairs are made remarkably cheap, with iron for the parts reqniring solidity, and wood for the seat.

Models of tents and chairs were numerous at the Trocadero. The portable chairs were especially appreciated by ladies who were obliged to walk far ; as to arbors, the models exhibited around the plans of the gardens showed that the art of the seventeenth century still lived.

A Garden Herbarium

The horticultural department of Cornell University Experiment Station is making a large and important collection of cultivated plants. Collectors are sent to leading nurseries and botanists are employed in many parts of the country to collect the cultivated plants from commercial establishments. Everything upon the Cornell grounds is preserved, and recently Professor L. H. Bailey has turned over to the University his whole collection of cultivated plants. Not only the species, but all cultivated varieties are preserved. This is probably the first distinct attempt of this kind in this country. - Botanical Gazette.

A Gardening Apron

I find an apron made of ticking very useful in the conservatory. It keeps the dress from being wet and soiled. A row of pockets at the bottom are very useful, also two above. I move the little pots from place to place in them, and keep my scissors, trowel, string hammer, tacks, bits of leather, etc, in my pockets, and it saves much running. I can find all these things handy when on a step-ladder tying or pruning vines, and I gather the dead leaves and twigs and keep them in my apron. In the garden too, my apron is my best friend. If the ground is damp, I sit down on it to weed or transplant, and find it such a saving of time and temper to have all my tools where I can so easily get them. The apron can be made in a very fancy way, so as to be useful and ornamental together. Mine is embroidered with red worsted, but it may be plain, as seen in the illustration. - Sister Gracious.

Gardening Under Difficulties

Here in Nebraska vegetable gardening is beset with difficulties of climate; the winds are high and frequent, and they blow plants from side to side, nearly uprooting them, while the dry and hot air wilts them until it seems as if growing and bearing were almost out of the question. Yet we succeed in growing as large and fine vegetables as are shown anywhere. - Wm, E. Stillon, York, Nebraska.