DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



483 



Newark Cider Orchards. — We leain from a 

 fruit grower, who Las just been in tlie neijxhbor- 

 hood of Newark, N.J. , once so celebrated for its 

 large production of the tinest cider, that many of 

 the orchards of their favorite apple, the Harrison, 

 have almost entirely failed to yield good fruit with- 

 in the last few years. The trees are yet apparent- 

 ly healthy, but they bear but small crops ; and the 

 apples are small, knotty and imperfect. He also 

 observed, that it was the opinion of many orchard- 

 ists there that this variety was on the decline. 



We believe the cause of the late unproductive- 

 ness of these Harrison orchards is very easily ex- 

 plained. The trees, mostly planted in a light soil 

 that has long been cultivated, have exhausted so 

 much of the lime and potash from the soil where 

 they are growing, that there is no longei enough 

 of these substances in the soil to supply the neces- 

 sary materials for the production of large crops of 

 fairfiuit as heretofore. If the orchardists there 

 will give their orchards a heavy top-dressing of 

 pure lime and ashes, we think they will find them 

 speedily returning to a sound and productive state. 

 Those who doubt may first try the experiment on a 

 small scale immediately, by applying a bushel of 

 pure lime and a bushel of leached ashes to every 

 full grown bearing tree, — spreading over an area 

 of surface as large as the branches cover, and dig- 

 ging it under the surface two or three inches. 

 These extensive orchards have hitherto been a 

 source of large income to the proprietors ; and it 

 is, doubtless, only their soil, and not the sort of ap- 

 ples cultivated, which has "run out." 



Transactions of the Ohio Fruit Conten- 

 tion. — This is an interestins; pamphlet of 46 pages, 

 giving a detailed account of the nurserymen and 

 fruit growers' convention, held at Columbus in 

 September last. 



This convention assembled chiefly for the sake of 

 comparing fruits from different portions of the state, 

 ascertaining the correct names of many miscalled 

 varieties, making known Viiluable new fruits, and 

 adding, as far as possible, to the stock of know- 

 ledge on this subject. Mr. C Springer, of Musk- 

 ingum, was called to preside, and Messrs. I-.lliott 

 of Cleveland, and Bateham of Columbus, appoint- 

 ed secretaries. The sitting commenced by their 

 passing the following resolution : 



Resolved, Tliat in classifying the various fruits 

 brought to this convention, we adopt the book. 

 known as the " Fruits and Fruit Trees of America. 

 by A. J. Downing ;" and that we recommend to 

 cultivators the adoption of this authority as the 

 best hitherto pubiishcd. 



The report, drawn up, we believe, by Mr. El- 

 liott, is full of mteresling pomological facts, — 

 especially, however, of local value ; and is illus- 

 trated by several outlines of the new fruits present- 

 ed. Apples formed the larger part of the exhibi- 

 tion ; and their merits are chiefly discussed in this 

 report. We select a few details, which will inte- 

 rest our readers generally. 



" Summer Rose Apple. Mr. Elliot regarded it as 

 the apple, if only one summer apple was to be had, 

 and that no private garden should be without it. 

 It is a long time in eating." 



" Belmont, Waxen or Late."' Considerable tes- 

 timony is given to prove that Dr. Kirtland was in 

 errur in considering this fruit as the Waxen apple 

 of Coxe. (See our work — Waxen Apple.) On the 

 other hand, in a copy of our Fruits, sent us lately 

 by Professor K., we find the following note on this 

 fruit : — " After all that has been jjublishcd by Mr. 

 Springer, we believe our statement, as to the ori- 

 gin of this fruit, to have been correct. It was 

 Nes>by's statement, made lo Judge Ci nrad about 

 the year 1806. That it is the Waxen apple, was a 

 suggestion of Coxe's father to me in 1824, while I 

 was in Burlington, N. J." After this decided dif- 

 ference of O(uiiion, tlie two fruits must be compared ; 

 and there will, perhaps, be an opportunity of bring- 

 ing them together the coming season. We may 

 add, regarding its merits, t!ie following from this 

 report: — "the unanimous expression of all the 

 convention was such as to class this a variety to be 

 desired in every collection ; being, in all sections, 

 first rate." 



" Newtown Pippin. Messrs. Latham, Wood, and 

 others remarked, that 'this variety was fine on a 

 limestone clav soil ; but on sandy soil, poor.' Mr. 

 Elliott remarked, that it was always inferior on 

 sandy soil, and good in a rich deep clay soil. To 

 have perfect success with it, lime, in a soluble state, 

 is wanted, so that the roots can take if up." 



'• Putnam Russet. A large number of specimens 

 of .this fruit, and aiso of the Roxhury Russet, were 

 exhibited and compared, and various letters read 

 regarding the origin of the variety, &c.; and ' there 

 was not a dissenting voice,' that this fruit and the 

 Koxbury llusset are identical ;" (as w^e stated our 

 opinion to be, on first comparing the two a year 

 ago.) 



Priestly vs. Bartlett Apple. Mr. Elliott is 

 under some error regarding this latter name, in 

 quoting us as authority ; as we are not acquainted 

 with any apple bearing the latter title. Perhaps it 

 is a typogra|)hical error. 



Baldwin. It is quite remarkable that this ap- 

 ple, so hardy, productive and popular here and in 

 New-England should, upon the Reserve lands of 

 Ohio, fail from the " bitter rot." 



Rawles' Jannet. '' Is highly productive, and is 

 becoming very popular along the valley of the 

 Ohio." Mr. Allen, of Ky., thinks it " unsuited to 

 the north, as it requires the longest season of a 

 southern climate to mature fully." 



Nonsuch, (Old Nonsuch, of Mass., Red Cana- 

 da, of western N. Y.) " It is much grown in coun- 

 ties near Cleveland ; is one of the most valuable of 

 apples, — large, fair, handsome, juicy, riih, tender, 

 great kecjier, good bearer ; decidedly among the 

 very best of apples." 



Among the new apples described, and highly re- 

 coromendcd, are the following: Early Pennock, 

 Willow, Springer's Seedling, Well's Apple, Red 

 Ashmore. Western Spy, Phillip's Sweeting, and 

 Pryor's Late Red. 



The convention closed by forming a State Fruit 

 Committee, to meet annually, and by adopting the 

 Rules of American Pomology, as passed by the 

 Massachusetts and other horticultural societies. 



Altogether, this first convention has evidently 

 been productive of much good in Ohio ; and there are 



