MR. BARRY'S ADDRESS, 



layer of wood was deposited Iwiicalh the bark, and covered up the dark wood. 

 Ttiis dark wood was visible for a number of years after, and after a time bepan to 

 deeav, wliile tiie outside wood was sound. This effect is still visible in our old 

 trees, being decayed inside while still bearinj^ fruit. Trees often live here to V)e 

 thirty years old, and I am not sure that it injured their liearing' afterwards, thouph, 

 by causing the larger branches to be weaker, tiiey were more liable to be broken 

 down when loaded with fruit. AVe find the Grosse Mignoue here our most tender 

 variety. 



It was rather remarkable, that the cold was more intense across the middle of 

 this State, this winter, than ou its northern border, the thermometers, in some 

 places, indicating 26° below zero, and the ice at Fredericksburg, on the Rappa- 

 hannock, was said to have been twenty-five inches thick. 



In several numbers of the Horticulturist lately, there have been articles com- 

 mending the Lombardy Poplar as an ornamental tree. That it has its peculiari- 

 ties, which render it particularly desirable in certain situations, none can doubt ; 

 but all through this region it has died outright, and I know not of a single thrifty 

 specimen anywhere. What can be the cause of so general a destruction ? This 

 might be worth while for arboricultui'ists to inquire into. One suggestion that 

 has been made is, that as the plant is dioecious, and as we have had only the stami- 

 nate variety, and, consequently, no reproduction from seed, this may be the cause 

 of their failure. If this should be the fact, it might be an easy matter to intro- 

 duce both kinds from their native regions, and again ha able to disseminate them. 



I have noticed quite a number of plans recommended as specifics against the 



depredations of insects on young plants, particularly young cucumbers. The best 



remedy I have ever seen tried is a decoction of Quassia, say one pound to two 



gallons of water, boiled so as to get its strength, then, with a small sprinkler or 



watering-pot, wet the ])lants well all over, by turning up the under side of the 



leaves, and, if this is carefully done, no insects will injure them ; as new leaves 



push out, or when rains wash the plants, a repetition will be needed. Quassia 



can be obtained at the wholesale apothecaries, at about sixteen cents per pound, 



and its bitter principle seems peculiarly distasteful to insects. A desire to benefit 



my brother horticulturists, is my excuse for so many different subjects in one 



communication. 



May 1, 1856. 



« •• • > 



Mil. BARRY'S ADDRESS, 



AT THE FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION, BURLINGTON, IOWA, 



Contains the following remarks, so valuable in themselves, that we have thought 

 it a duty to preserve them here : — 



" Let us look at the list of our best foreign pears. The Bartlett is supposed 

 to be English, originated in 1760, and it is certainly the best variety ever obtained 

 in that country. Gunsell's Bergamot is the next best, but it is uncertain, and a 

 poor tree while young. Dunmore, one of Knight's, stands next — a large, fine 

 fruit, but too uncertain. These, then, are about all the English varieties admissible 

 to our list of select sorts. White Doyenne and Brown Beurrc are old French sorts, 

 supposed to date back almost to the days of the Roman Empire. 



"The Louise Bonne de Jersey originated as a chance seedling, at Longueval, 

 in France, in 1188 — originally 'Bonne de Longueval.' 



" The Flemish Beauty, originally called ' Davy,' originated by chance in a 

 Flemish village called Deftinge. 



The Duchess d'Angouleme sprung up by accident, in a garden, in 1800 



