Plants Collected In 1889 At Socorko And Clarion Islands, Pacific Ocean

By George Vasey and J. N. Rose. Reprint from the Proceedings of the U. S. National Museum. In 1889 the United States Fish Commission steamer, Albatross, visited various islands near our Pacific coast, and at Socorro and Clarion, in the Revil-lagigedo group, a collection of plants was made. These little islands are 260 miles south of Cape St. Lucas. Lower California, or about on the latitude of the city of Mexico, and are about 300 miles west of the Mexican mainland. Island life is always interesting, particularly in reference to distribution and variation. Only 26 species were collected upon these islands, yet three of them are new, one having been previously collected, however, in the southern part of Lower California. The flora is Mexican in its type. We wish that the authors had made some more extended remarks concerning the relationships of this flora.

Plantswomen

I have lately received a rose-list from the "Fruitvale Rose Company of East Oakland." This "company" consists of the Misses Pratt, who have bought a very fine tract and are devoting their whole attention to roses, new and old, especially to "roses grown on their own roots." Another plant catalogue comes to me from Mrs. Theodosia B. Shepherd, of Ventura. This lady has a superb plant of Cereus triangularis that has now reached the roof of the house, thirty-five feet from the ground, and extends nearl across the whole front. It is said to be the largest spec-imen of the species in the United States. - Charles H-Shinn.

Plums

The Russian plums have far exceeded public expectations, and indeed, our own.

This year I have seen and tasted specimens of Early Red, Dame Aubert, Voronesh Yellow, Moldavka and other sorts, much larger and better than I ever saw in Russia. I am glad to report that some of these plums do not suffer more by attacks of the curculio and gouger than our best natives, and they are proving as hardy in tree and as free from rot and other diseases.

Plum Culture In Washington

This bids fair to become one of the most profitable industries here. The world wants prunes, and the very finest prunes are grown here already. The trees flourish both east and west of the Cascades, but seem favored more in the moister western sections.

Plums For Oswego

Oswego, New York is a favored plum region. Although plum growing is in its infancy there, about 20,000 bushels are marketed each year. Mr. J. Hagerty, a very large dealer and handler of fruits in that city, gives the following list of the best plums for his region: German Prune, Bradshaw, Yellow Egg, Damson, Reine Claude, Purple Egg and Lombard.

Portable Nouses. L. V. M

These may be obtained of either the Grand Rapids Portable House Co., Grand Rapids, Mich., or Decker Portable House Co., 735 Broadway, New York City:

A Practical Hint To Onion Growers

Manure the land well with good, short, rotten manure; dig the ground to a good depth, mixing the manure well with the soil. Rake the bed fine and run a light roller over it. Draw out the drills one foot apart and half an inch deep. Put a short stake into the ground at each end of the row, and one in the middle; sow the seeds in the drills; cover them tightly, and tread each row well in with the foot. Now get some small string, tie the end to the stake at the end of the first row, give it a turn around the middle stake, then around the other end stake ; carry it around the stake in the other row, and so on, up and down each row. It will be a guide to enable one to hoe the ground from the first day after the seed is planted, if thought desirable ; the hoeing will check the weeds. - G. M. S., St. Paul, Minn.