1877.] 



AND EOBTIGULTUBIST. 



363 



as our Japanese correspondent expresses it, 

 " Much for dry ;" No. 4 is the best flavored. 



We have been growing the first two of the 

 above-named varieties for five years past, and 

 last year imported also the seedless variety, 

 which is propagated only by buds and grafts. 

 Our experience so far has been that the persim- 

 mon requires no more careful cultivation than 

 an apple, but must have good management 

 when transplanted. The future of this fruit will 

 depend upon whether the American palate ad- 

 mires its flavor; but on this point Commissioner 

 Capron writes that " It is the best fruit Japan 

 has, and is well worthy of introduction." 



The persimmon has also shown itself to be a 

 beautiful ornamental tree, with dark glossy 

 leaves, and upright, graceful growth. It attracts 

 instant attention from every visitor. 



NOTES FROM KENTUCKY. 



BY MR. C. P. HALE, CALHOON, MC LEAN COUNTY. 



It has been a long time since I have written 

 you on any subject, so I concluded to write you 

 a few lines on one in which I am interested 

 and wish to see others interested — that is fruit- 

 growing. Now you may think I am making a 

 heavy call on the Gardener's Monthly, but I have 

 been postponing it so long that I cannot desist 

 now. You know that almost every fruit-grower 

 in the whole country wishes to know what 

 every other one is doing, his prospects in 

 early season and his success in late season. Now 

 how are we to get this information unless the 

 Gardener's Monthly (being a national paper) col- 

 lects reports from all sections or all of the States 

 of the Union, and publishes them for us. Spring 

 and Fall, if not oftener. Now, is this asking too 

 much? Can it be done? If so, I think it will be 

 of great interest to your readers, especially those 

 interested in growing fruits. I will giVe you my 

 report, which is limited to a very small section. 



The apple crop was large in early Summer, 

 but has decayed and wasted away from the heat 

 and moisture of Summer and early Fall. Peach 

 trees full in just a few sections on high lands : in 

 all others killed in bud. Grapes killed in bud in 

 many places; crop small and inferior. Some 

 varieties of pear trees were quite full, and of 

 very good quality ; crop under average of good 

 seasons. 



Now let me change subjects and brag a little, 

 and I will quit. Can you beat it? Last Spring 



I started a Caladium root about two inches in di- 

 ameter in a six-inch pot, in a sweet potato hot- 

 bed. I let it remain until it made five shoota 

 about three inches long. I then transplanted it 

 in a bed of old leaf muck about five feet square 

 and ten inches deep. Now after having lost 

 several leaves, it has twenty-three large leaves 

 and stems, and several small ones. The longest 

 stem is over 61 inches, or 5 feet 1 inch long. The 

 longest leaves are 41 inches, or 3 feet 5 inches 

 long, and 30 inches; or 2 feet 6 inches wide, by 

 the English rule. 



OHIO NOTES. 



BY M. B. B. 



Pardon me for saying I think there are three 

 mistakes on page 304 of Monthly (for October). 

 I have traveled much in Ohio this Summer, and 

 the only man I have seen or heard of as fruiting 

 the Thwack Raspberry (Frank Ford, of Raven- 

 na), says it is too poor in quality even for market, 

 and such was certainlj- my own impression of 

 the few late berries that I tasted there. 



2d. Montmorency Cherry certainly is not "sixty 

 days" earlier than the Early May, as the latter 

 ripens in Southern Ohio the 1st of June. It may 

 possibly be six days, but of that I have doubts. 



3d. I have seen and eaten Mushrooms in vari- 

 ous countries, cultivated and wild, and the 

 weight quoted from the English paper must cer- 

 tainl}^ have been intended for ounces instead of 

 " pounds." 



I think you must have meant to say the Gregg 

 Raspberry was approved by Ohio growers, which 

 is true. 



FRUIT CULTURE AMONG FARMERS. 



BY JAS. M. HAYES, DOVEK, N. H. 



As I have attended the agricultural fairs this 

 Fall, I could but notice the wonderful improve- 

 ments that have been made in a score of years by 

 our farmers in fruit culture. It seems but a short 

 time since, that the only apple cultivated was 

 the wild native Crab, whose only use was the 

 manufacture of cider to be guzzled down by the 

 farmer and his neighbors around the kitchen 

 fire on Winter evenings. Now our farmers drink 

 less cider and raise more fine apples. Almost 

 every farm has its orchard of apples, — Baldwins, 

 Greenings and Portei's being as common as the 

 natives a few years ago. Of pears there has also 

 been a noticeable improvement. Formerly the 



