THE POTATO DISEASE.-Any experiment that tends to throw additional light upon the disease in potatoes, is deserving of consideration, because, although it may not explain the cause satisfactorily, yet it is only by the accumulation of facts, such as the apparent influence of divers modes of growth upon it, that we can hope at last to trace out the principles upon which the presence or absence of the disease is dependant. A. Mons. Bayard has communicated to the horticulturists of Paris, the result of an experiment made by him in an altogether new direction, the result of which he gives in the following account: "Upon my property in the commune of Jaille-Yron, in the department of the Maine and Loire, the potatoes grown in 1850 were generally bad. Before planting, in 1851, I cut some potatoes into sets, and forced into each set, according to its size, one, two or three dry peas. A piece of ground was planted with these sets, and an adjoining piece with sets without peas. Notwithstanding the dry summer, the peas grew strong and flowered, and the potatoe stems pushed vigorously. The potatoes containing peas produced a crop without disease, which kept well through the winter, and part of them were used the present year in June, for sets. Part of the crop of the sets planted without peas, were diseased. Whilst the above experiment was going on in a field of heavy land, a similar one was made in a kitchen garden, where the soil was light, and the result was the same. The potatoes with peas were healthy, but those without rapidly indicated signs of ill-health. During the growth of the pea stems and potatoe stems, some were pulled up and examined, and it appeared that the early vegetation of the pea had carried off the excessive humidity from the potato." Assuming that upon repetition of this experiment in other parts, it is found to give the same results, there can be little doubt that the

concluding sentence indicates the cause, namely, the absortion by the roots of the peas of a portion of the water contained in the sets. This is a strong evidence in favor of the correctness of the now very general opinion, that excessive moisture has much to do with the disease.

GRADUAL AND SUCCESSFUL PROGRESS IN PLANTING.

One of the most interesting fragments of individual history we have lately seen, especially as connected with horticultural pursuits, is contained in the following extract, which we make from the "Notes on Gardens and Nurseries," in the last number of Hovey's Magazine.

"RESIDENCE OF Jos. STICKNEY, ESQ., WATERTOWN.-Strange, indeed, is it, to see how slight a circumstance may change and mould a taste for objects previously of no interest whatever. Some years ago, when the taste for the culture of that gorgeous flower, the Dahlia, was carried to a greater extent than now, a gentleman whose time was almost incessantly occupied in commercial matters, and who possessed only a few square feet of garden, in the rear of his dwelling, in the city, was struck with the splendor of one of the exhibitions of this flower, at the rooms of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and at once made up his mind to buy a few plants. Spring came, and they were set out;-they flourishedgrew, and all the autumn repaid the careful attention of a zealous amateur, by a brilliant display of flowers. This was grand success for a beginner. Another year came round, and the dozen sorts were augmented to fifty, and still the same success. Delighted to find himself so well repaid, (unaware it was entirely owing to that love which spared no pains for the welfare of the plants,) the newest and finest sorts were procured, and another season he not only became a competitor for the prizes, but actually carried some of them off!

But with a few feet of land, already overfilled, there was no room for further additions to his stock, and he must add more or grow a less number of plants; the latter could not be done, and another hundred feet of ground, worth almost as many acres a few miles from the city, was added. But now other objects divided his attention. The grand displays of fruit were so rich and inviting that to be a mere admirer would not do: why should not success attend the growth of fruit, as well as dahlias; there could be no doubt of it. His resolve was made, and the corners were filled with young pear trees. On they went, growing, thriving, pushing up their vigorous shoots, and spreading out their leafy branches, making sad inroads upon the territory of the Mexicans, and in fact showing a disposition to dispute all the ground they had heretofore occupied. Time rolled on, golden fruit hung from their heavily laden boughs, and a rich harvest crowned the efforts of the cultivator of the city garden.

And now accompanying him further, we find ourselves on a beautiful spot, on the banks of the River Charles, in the pretty village of Watertown, overlooking its flowing waters on one side, and the thickly settled plain on the other. Terraces of immense size, covered with trees in

full bearing, all the work of half a dozen years, rise one above another, and skirt the river bank. Ascending by several flights of steps, we reach a broad plateau, on which stands the mansion, in the olden style, large, capacious, without ornament, but with that essential of the country house, comfort. It is reached from the front by an avenue from the Mill-dam road, and is screened in that direction by a grove of gigantic pines, oaks and bickories.

Such is the residence of Mr. Stickney, who was fortunate in purchasing, eight years ago, the estate of Madame Hunt, containing about thirtyfive acres, accessible in 20 minutes by the Watertown Branch Railroad, the station being within five minutes' walk. Few places more capable of being made a perfect villa residence, are to be found in the vicinity; and the possession of all this, now under a high state of culture, and affording so much enjoyment to its owner, has been the result of his admiration of a beautiful flower."

Farmer, that the English crab is a distinct species from the common apple, and that the latter did not spring from the former as some have supposed, and as Downing and others maintained. Scientific authority and facts appear fully to establish the entire distinctness of the two. The celebrated English botanist, Ray, regarded them as distinct, and later authorities have given the following specific characters, which show them to be more unlike than many others universally admitted as distinct.

ENGLISH CRAB.-Leaves ovate, acute, villous, underneath; styles bald; fruit acerb, astringent, austere.

APPLE TREE.-Leaves ovate-oblong, acuminate, glabrous; styles villous; fruit more or less sweet.

In accordance with these marked distinctions, is the experience of centuries; for the English crab has been propagated from seed from time immemorial, without changing its character, or presenting any resemblance to the fine varieties of the common apple. It may be observed that the American crab apple, is totally distinct from

THE NEW YORK CRYSTAL PALACE, RESERVOIR SQUARE.

RESERVOIR Square, of which the municipal authorities have given the association a lease, lies west of the Croton distributing reservoir, and between that mighty mass of stone and the Sixth avenue. The precise distance from the reservoir to the Sixth avenue is 445 feet, and the width, north and south, from Fortieth to Forty-second street is 455 feet. On this piece of ground-not very favorable, it must be owned, either in shape or location -the association have determined to erect the building in question, of which the plans have been selected among several competitors, of whom may be mentioned, Mr. Saeltzer, the architect of the Astor Library; Mr. Downing, killed on board the Henry Clay; Mr. Eidlitz, Sir Joseph Paxton, and others. The successful competitors are Messrs. Carstensen & Gildemiester.

The main features of the building are as follows; -The general idea of the edifice is a Greek cross, surmounted by a dome at the intersection. Each diameter of the cross will be 365 feet 5 inches long. There will be three similar entrances-one on the Sixth avenue, one on Fortieth, and one on

Forty-second street. Each entrance will be 47 feet wide, and that on the Sixth avenue will be approached by a flight of eight steps. Each arm of the cross is, on the ground plan 149 feet broad. This is divided into a central nave and two aisles, one on each side-the nave 41 feet wide-each aisle 54 feet wide. On each front is a large semicircular fanlight, 41 feet broad, and 21 feet high, answering to the arch of the nave. The central portion or nave is carried up to the height of 67 feet, and the semicircular arch, by which it is spanned, is 41 feet broad. There are thus, in effect, two arched naves crossing each other at right angles, 41 feet broad, 67 feet high, to the crown of the arch, and 365 feet long; and on each side of these naves is an aisle, 54 feet broad and 45 feet high. The exterior of the ridgeway of the nave is 71 feet. The central dome is 100 feet in diameter-68 feet inside from the floor to the spring of the arch, and 118 feet to the crown; and on the outside with the lanterns, 149 feet. The exterior angles of the building are ingeniously filled up with a sort of lean to, 24 feet high, which gives the ground plan an octagonal shape, each side or face being 149 feet wide. At each angle is an octagonal tower, eight feet in diameter, and