346 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



most desirable. These three sorts are of Russian origin, hardy, fine 

 colored and tart, just the fruit wanted in the spring. They will make 

 excellent pies when only partly ripe, and will sell readily for $ I per 

 bushel. Their acidity also would make them sell dried, either by sun 

 or desiccation. jSever set out an orchard unless you intend, year by 

 year, to give it as good care and as much manure as you would a corn- 

 field on which you calculated to raise a premium crop. There are in 

 Jefferson, Gasconade and St. Louis counties too many neglected, un- 

 profitable orchards and vineyards. Do not add to their number, but 

 first send a membership fee of $1 to Secretary L. A. Goodman of the 

 State Horticultural Society for a report — the last — and find a gold 

 mine, if you will heed and practice its teachings. 



A Poinolog'ical Wonder. 



A queer case of natural cross-fertilization is reported from Anjou, 

 France. A grape-vine, which grows in close proximity to a large apple- 

 tree of the Russet variety, has developed a full bunch of small apples 

 on the stem which is usually set with grapes. There are 29 of these 

 queer "grape-apples" in all, and they are so thickly set upon the stem 

 that many of them, all in fact except those growing at the ends, are 

 mashed out of shape, so thyt they are almost as angular as corn-grains. 

 Each of these freaks has its "blossom end" like true apples; and, in 

 the fine specimens which have been examined, 11 poorly developed 

 apple-seeds were found. The pomologists of Europe are greatly ex- 

 cited over the publication of the facts relating to this queer case, as 

 they appeared in La Nature, and many who have never attended a 

 meeting of the Imperial Pomological Society, will do so this year in 

 order to hear the curiosity discussed. Those who have ever paid any 

 attention to fruit culture, and know how entirely dissimilar the blos- 

 soms of grapevines and apple-trees are, will naturally doubt the gen- 

 uineness of this freak. 



Apples in Engiand. 



The apple crop of England, never large, is shorter this year than 

 usual, and fruit of all kinds is being shipped in from all over the world. 

 California stepped into the breach weeks ago, and has been supplying 

 the market with some of its best pears, peaches and plums, and now 

 the states east of the Rocky mountains will take a hand with their 

 apples. We are informed that 25,000 barrels were shipped to England 



