78 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[March, 



COMMUNTCA TIONS. 



NATURAL PEACH STONES. 



HY K. S. XIXON, CHAITANOOOA, TENN. 



I feel disposed to reply to B. F. Traiisou's arti- 

 cle in November number, on the Wild Goose 

 Plum ; but as you have so frequently requested 

 your correspondents to let the subject drop, I 

 feel that it would be out of i)lace; consequently I 

 will pass it oyer unnoticed. He calls your at- 

 tention to my answer to your inquiry for informa- 

 tion as to the uniformity of size of the seeds of 

 seedling peatlies, as follows: — "We would also 

 call your attention to the fjict that it is not al- 

 ways the case that the largest peaches have the 

 largest seed ; for instance, the Heath Cling is a 

 very large peach and has a very small seed — less 

 than many peaches of not half the size." That 

 is all very true and undisputed ; but it does not 

 follow that all large peaches have small seed, or 

 that seeds of all seedling peaches are of a uni- 

 form size. And I repeat the statement, that 

 the seeds of some seedlings are large and some 

 small. In fact, I have seen seeds of some seed- 

 lings that were larger than the entire fruit of 

 some others. But enough on that subject. 



[The reason we were not disposed to continue 

 the controversy about the " Wild Goose " Plum 

 was, that there is no true Wild Goose Plum. 

 There are many good wild plums under culture 

 and many poor ones. We want to see a selection 

 made over again of the bpst, with new names 

 and new descriptions. Some of those under 

 culture are about as fit to associate with Wild 

 Goose as cranberry sauce ; while kinds such as 

 are grown by Hoopes, Bro. & Thomas ; Hance 

 & Son ; and others, can well stand without any 

 goose at all.— Ed. G. M.] 



ON SOME OLD FRUITS. 



BY T. T. LYON, PRESIDENT OP THE MICHIGAN STATE 

 POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



In your remarks, on page 17 of the January 

 number of the Gardener's Monthly, you speak of 

 an impression that the Ribston Pippin is not 

 adapted to America; and seem surprised at its 

 appearance in fine condition at the Centennial. 

 I take occasion from this to say that I have 

 grown it in Michigan since 1850, and have found 

 it uniformly fine and the tree highly satisfactory. 



It cannot, however, be set down as a heary 

 bearer ; and it is my conviction that it is more 

 at home at the extreme North. Its high, 

 brisk llavor, also, is against its general popular- 

 ity among Americans. 



On the same page you also speak of the ap- 

 pearance of the Alexander, in many collections, 

 at the Centennial ; and characterize it as a " com- 

 paratively poor apple," planted rather for show. 

 Please allow me to suggest that, while there may 

 well be a doubt as to it*» relative profitableness, 

 I know of no equal to it as a culinary sort, es- 

 pecially for pies or other similar purposes, for 

 which it suffices without preliminary cooking, 

 as its fiesh will become sufficiently cooked in the 

 process of baking the pies; while it is so acid 

 that the requisite proportion of sugar will ren- 

 der it abundantly rich and sprightly. At a ses- 

 sion of the American Pomological Society, held 

 in your city, I think in 1862, I proposed that it 

 be placed upon the rejected list; but I have 

 since seen occasion to amend my views respect- 

 ing it. 



I may also indulge the statement respecting 

 Hale's Early Peach, that it stands second to but 

 fe\v varieties here at the lake shore, where it is 

 seldom seriously affected by " rot," and every- 

 thing considered, is esteemed one of our most 

 profitable sorts. The new early sorts — Amsden, 

 Alexander, Louise, Rivers, &c., have not yet 

 fruited here, although expected to do so the 

 coming season. 



PRUNING FULL GROWN FRUIT TREES. 



BY (tEN. W. H. noble, BRIDGEPORT, CONN. 



The portraits of such, both well and ill pruned, 

 are found in our fruit books. Yet I do not re- 

 member any which details the right way and 

 starting place in doing such work. You may 

 fix in your eye the ideal picture laid down of a 

 well pruned tree. But without sound sense and 

 practice, you will find it no easy job to fashion a 

 neglected, scraggy, tangled-up tree into that 

 clean cut, shapely comeliness, fit for companion- 

 ship in a perfect orchard. Yet that right method 

 follows logically the need of sunlight, showers 

 and air, to the best estate of both fruit and foli- 

 age. 



The French say "cV.?/ le premier pas qui coute" 

 which means in pruning, that to have such work 

 well done, you must begin right. First, then, 

 never start your job from the ground, or cut 



