187'r.] 



AND HORTIGULTUBIST. 



83t 



Forrest Rose Strawberry. — I have seen 

 this new berry in its bearing state growing along- 

 side of the most noted sorts. I looked through 

 two acres of it and have no hesitancy in saying 

 that it is the largest of all, plant and berry, and 

 of unsurpassed quality. A bright color and of 

 solid texture, with a kind of toughness that will 

 make it desirable for market. The owner and 

 discoverer, Mr. J. Fetters, of Lancaster, 0., con- 

 tents himself with sending large quantities to 

 market and out-selling everybody, and won't 

 Bell plants.— J. H. C. • 



SCRAPS AND QUERIES. 



The Early Peaches in California. — Mr. 

 Robert Strong, Westminster, Cal., writes: — "I 

 have been disappointed in finding no notes in 

 the Monthly on the three new peaches competing 

 for the prize of best early, viz. : Alexander, Ams- 

 den and Briggs' Red May, with comparisons on 

 Early Beatrice. The peculiar season in Califor- 

 nia has affected our peach crop, and here in 

 Southern California no peach trees are bearing 

 this year, except seedlings. All these varieties 

 should have fruited with me, side by side, as I 

 expect them to do next year. Can any of your 

 readers give us notes from experience as to 

 their comparative value. Early Beatrice has 

 fruited here for two years, ripening about June 

 20th, a valuable peach, but too nearly a cling 

 and too small, though of very fine flavor. All 

 nursery stock looks well. I can show apricot on 

 peach eight feet high, from the bud this season ; 

 and plum on peach nine feet, and peach on 

 peach seven feet, with good stout stems and 

 branches, and still growing. We expect, how- 

 ever, to do in one year, in our long seaxsons, 

 what it takes two years to do in the East." 



A Good Early Pear. — A Pennsylvania corres- 

 pondent writes that for three years past he has 

 had the Julienne and the Manning's Elizabeth 

 growing side by side, and that the former proves 

 slightly astringent. It is not so good a pear as 

 the latter, but a few days earlier. 



Improved Siberian Crab.— Mr. Joseph Liggett, 

 Lowellville, Ohio, writes: — "I send you two 

 Siberian crabs, please let us know how they 

 compare with other varieties that have come to 

 your knowledge. It was raised from the seed of 

 what is known among nurserymen as the large 

 red Siberian crab. This is the first year it has 



fruited. Both specimens are from the same 

 tree." 



[We have seen a large number of the seedling 

 improved crabs from Canada and Michigan dur- 

 the last two years. These improvements have 

 not been reduced to any system yet, so that the 

 comparative merit may be noted. We can only 

 say that this one is at least as good in quality aa 

 any we have seen. — Ed. G. M.] 



Kinney's Cider Crab Apple.— J. T., Quincy, 

 Ky., says : — " I send you to-day by mail a speci- 

 men of Kinney's cider crab, a seedling of the 

 Wells ; originated with Henry Kinney, Esq., 

 near Portsmouth, Scioto county, Ohio. It is an 

 early and profuse bearer, and fruit hangs well on 

 the tree. Please give us your opinion of it in 

 the Gardener's Monthly — a magazine I could not 

 live without." 



[This is a small apple, about the sizfe of the 

 larger improved Siberian crab, but evidently not 

 belonging to that section. If it is a "crab" at 

 all it certainly is not one of the " austere" kind 

 about which political fiirmers love to refer to in 

 their " orations " at agricultural fairs, but a nice 

 little juicy thing.— Ed. G. M.] 



Care in Varieties. — A. C. L., Madison, In- 

 diana, writes : — "A word of new fruits and plants. 

 It is the custom of horticulturists and florists to 

 send out new fruits and plants with the high- 

 sounding names attached (and above all high 

 prices) of the originators, and if either prove to 

 be worthless, attach the blame t) the propaga- 

 tor. This is poor consolation to the purchaser. 

 It is the duty of every disseminator to test every- 

 thing that passes through his hands, and if it 

 prove a failure reject it, and if a success declare 

 it so from his own knowledge; but a course 

 directly the opposite of this is pursued. Should 

 I send a bad twenty dollar greenback to a florist 

 he would lose no time in returning it, no matter 

 how innocent I may have been in receiving it 

 myself." 



HoosAC Thornless Blackberry.— T. G., Ham- 

 ilton, Illinois, writes :— " Will some one who has 

 had experience with this new berry give the re- 

 sult to the readers of the Gardener's Monthly f 

 It seems to be hardy and a good grower, and is 

 certainly quite free from thorns, and if its fruit 

 will compare favorably with other sorts, may be 

 a great acquisition. The writer has a quantity 

 of young plants (and others are, doubtless, simi- 

 larly situated) but docs not wish to set them 



