ORCHARD FRUIT CULTURE. 



39 



re-graft next year. My selection is princi- 

 pally as follows : 



For early use — Osband's Summer, (see 

 Horticulturist, vol. 1, pp. 211 and 212, a 

 most beautiful and delicious pear in west- 

 ern N. Y.,) Madeleine, Bloodgood, Bartlett. 

 Autumn — Stevens' Genesee, Ononda- 

 ga, Washington, Louise Bonne de Jersey, 

 White and Grey Doyenne, Duchess d'An- 

 gouleme, Beurre Diel, Seckel, Columbia. 

 Winter — Glout Morceau, Winter Nelis.* 

 Now, here are sixteen varieties of pear, 

 all proved of the first quality, and ripen- 

 ing in succession from July to February, — 

 enough, in all conscience, to satisfy any 

 appetite, be it ever so choice and fastidious. 

 By way of amusement, I may also reserve 

 for cultivation some of the varieties I now 

 have, such as the Beurre Bosc, Brown 

 Beurre, Beurre d'Amanlis, Van Mons Leon 

 Le Clerc, Flemish Beauty, Fondante d'Au- 

 tomne, Jaminette, Urbaniste, and perhaps 

 now and then another, merely to prove 

 their quality in this locality. The strong, 

 thrifty growing American pears I graft on 

 the pear stocks. The more delicate Euro- 

 pean varieties are put on the quinces, — by 

 this means, " double-worked ;" in which, if 

 there be any advantage, I have it. These 

 latter I insert at about eighteen inches or 

 two feet above the ground, (the original 

 budding having been done near the sur- 

 face,} so as to throw out the branches low 

 for training. The pear stocks I graft at the 

 best place for such purpose, below where 

 the top is to be formed. 



Quinces. — I cultivate only the orange 

 (or apple) quince ; that proving the hardi- 

 est, most productive and best for this lo- 

 cality. I plant 16 i feet apart. The soil 

 is a moist, rich, clay loam, or clay subsoil, 

 well drained. 



* Winter Nelis is a bad fjrower, — the shoots being: too 

 flexile and drooping. It may answer for the quince stock, 

 but not strong and vigorous enough for the pear. 



Cherries. — I confine these to a dozen 

 varieties ; at the head of which I place the 

 Black Tartarian, and follow with the May 

 Duke, Holman's or Late Duke, Black Ea- 

 gle, Bigarreau or Yellow Spanish, Elkhorn, 

 White Bigarreau, China Bigarreau, Ame- 

 rican Heart, Fellow's Seedling, Black 

 Heart, American Amber. The soil for 

 these is a deep, rich, dark, sandy loam, on 

 a mixed clay and sandy subsoil, dry and 

 elevated. I plant 24 to 33 feet apart. But 

 cherries will nourish and bear well, as I 

 have tried, on a stiff clay, if well drained, 

 but not equal to those on a sandy loam. 



Peaches. — The names of these — and 

 good ones too — is legion. A dozen varie- 

 ties are sufficient for succession. Soil 

 clayey, sandy, or gravelly loam, on a dry 

 subsoil; no matter whether clay, sand, or 

 gravel. All grow well with me, but better 

 a few miles farther east and north, beyond 

 the influence of the lake winds. I plant 

 16^ feet apart. 



Other influences in my favor for growing 

 fruits are a new soil, but recently cleared 

 from the forest, water communication all 

 the way from orchard to market. 



Now, is here not a large dish of gossip, 

 to serve up to your readers, which, if they 

 have patience to read, may give a practical 

 hint or two, drawn from my own, and the 

 experience of the best pomologists in this 

 immediate vicinity ? I shall be pleased to 

 see your remarks on any part of this com- 

 munication. Very truly yours, 



Lewis F. Allen. 



Black Rock, June 1, 1849. 



P. S. Our season is very late ; a fort- 

 night, at least, beyond the usual time. 

 The promise of fruit, however, is very abun- 

 dant. Rarely have I known finer bloom 

 on the trees; and the weather, though 

 cool, is favorable to the setting of the young 

 fruits. 



