134 
A Large Apple-tree. —In a note in the Scientific American, Rev. H. 
C. Hovey says: 
While visiting an orchard near New Haven not long ago, the 
farmer, perceiving me to be taking notes as to the dimensions of his 
trees, told me that probably the largest apple-tree in the world was 
to be seen on the farm of Delos Hotchkiss, in Marion, Conn. I need 
not give the size as originally stated by my informant, which was, 
like most such matters, much exaggerated, for I have just had exact 
measurements taken, as follows: 
Circumference of the trunk, near the ground 15 ft. 3 in- 
three feet from ground 13 ft. 9 in, 
" *' at the forks r6 ft 2 in. 
14 
2 main branches, from, .lo ft. 4 in., and 8 ft. 8 in. 
of nine smaller branches, from 4 to 6 ft. each. 
Height of tree 5o feet. 
Diameter of tree top 104 feet. 
A peculiarity of this tree is that it is what is termed *' an alternate 
bearer," five limbs bearing one year and four the next. The usual 
yield from the five limbs is about 85 bushels, although in a single 
instance it reached no bushels; and the four limbs vary from 35 to 
40 bushels. The fruit is said to be excellent for winter use, though 
on this point I can only speak from hearsay. 
The age of this venerable apple-tree is estimated at about 175 to 
I So years. Curiously enough the patriotic old tree marked the cen- 
tennial year by bearing fr«it on all its branches, the first time it has 
been known to do so in its life, and it has continued to do so down 
to the present time. Some of the limbs are now dying, others are 
broken down, signs of decay appear in many places, and it is thought 
that this noble specimen of Pyrus malus will soon be numbered 
ainong the things of the past. 
Botanical Literature. 
Catalogue of phcenogamous and vascular cryptogamotis Plants of 
Worcester County, Mass. By Joseph Jackson, 8vo, pamph., 
pp. 48. Published by the Worcester Natural History Society. 
Mr. Joseph Jackson has for some years given assiduous attention 
to the collection and study of the plants of Worcester County, Mass., 
and has now embodied the results in the form of this neatly-printed 
Flora. Among the cryptogams it includes only the ferns, equise- 
taceae,. and lycopods, The mosses, lichens and fungi would of 
course greatly extend it, and we hope the enterprising author will 
now give his attention to these. 
The Worcester County Natural History Society, under whose 
auspices the publication is issued, appears to be doing excellent work 
in many directions. — W. W. B. 
The Grasses of the United States: Being a synopsis of the Tribes and 
Genera, ivith a Description of the Genera, and a List of the Species, 
By Dr. Geo. Vasey. 8vo, pamph,, pp. 47, Washington: Govern- 
ment Printing Office, ^^S^. 
In the words of the author this " paper is an attempt to give a 
systematic synopsis of our grasses so far as known to the present 
time, with a description of the genera and a list of the species. Our 
