the worst season, always pay the diligent cultivator for his trouble ; we have had examples 

 here even of extraordinary yields. The vines suffered much last winter, and, in some vine- 

 yards, were killed to tlie ground, hut the grapes we have look very fine. Our fruit-trees 

 also suffered much, but I hope the most of them will live. I have an orchard of 1,500 bear- 

 ing trees, and am confident, from long experience, that apples and peaches succeed here 

 better than in most parts of the Union. From four trees of the Yellow Bellflower, planted 

 in 1847, I gathered, last fall, 49 bushels of such apples, as would have done your heart good 

 to look at, after making two barrels of cider from the apples that dropped before the final 

 gathering. About peaches, if you will pardon my gossiping, L can tell you, that a friend 

 from Jersey declared that they fairly beat all New Jersey peaches he had ever seen. This 

 will serve to show what we can do in peach culture. The pear also promises well, but has 

 not been tried long enough yet. The Bartlett, Beurre Bosc, Frederick of Wurtemberg, 

 Charles of Austria, Louise Bonne de Jersey, Beurre Capiaumont, and St. Germain, produce 

 very fine fruit, and are regular and abundant bearers. Plums, nectarines, and apricots, I 

 have given up, as the little " Turk" destroys them all. The Mayduke, Early Purple Guigne, 

 Belle de Choisy, and Black Tartarian Cherries, all do well here, but all the other Heart 

 Cherries I have tried are poor bearers. We can also raise all the smaller fruit in abundance, 

 except gooseberries, which mildew. Wishing you and your valuable journal (which, by 

 the by, is worth four times the money it costs) all possible success, 



I remain yours, respectfully, 



George Husmaxn, 

 Cor. Sec. of Western Fruit Growers'' Asso. and Ilort. Soc, at Hermann, Gasconade Co., Mo. 

 [We are pleased with Mr. Husmann's letter, and shall hope to hear from him again, 

 regarding fruit culture in Missouri. — Ed.] 



Alton, Illinois, July 11, 1856. 



Dear Sir : The season has now so far advanced, that the effect of the winter's cold is 

 plainly discernible. Much more injury has been done than at first sight appeared. One 

 fact is plainly proven. The condition of a tree, as to growth, has much to do with its ability 

 to stand excessive cold. Trees that were very vigorous, that made a fine growth, and also 

 those that made scarce any, escaped, while those that made a partial growth — that is, those 

 that seemed intermediate — have been killed. 



Is it not for this reason : the strong growers, full of vigor, ripened and perfected their wood ; the 

 feeble growers, making but little effort, were not so filled with sap as to be affected, going to 

 rest early, from their inability to make further effort, wliile the medium grower was caught 

 by the cold before it had accomplished its purpose ? The result is as stated, and that, too, 

 without regard to sorts. Brinkle's Oregon Raspberry is a great acquisition. It has stood 

 the severe cold without injury, is very prolific, and of fine flavor. The drought has injured 

 all our early apples, rendering them small, and comparatively worthless. 



Yours, James E. Starr. 



i0rticullurnl Sotidics. 



Pe.v.vstlvania HoKTicrLTURAL SociETt. — The stated meeting of this Society occurred on Tuesday Evening, 

 July 15, K. W. Keyser, Vico-l'resident, in the chair. Premiums awarded on this occasion were as follows; — 



Hy the Committee on Plants and Flowers. — Petunian — for the hest display, and the second best display, to 

 J. J. Haberraehl, gr. to .1. Lambert. Collection of tioelve PUtnts — for the best, to Chas. Sutherland, gr. to John 

 Anspach ; for the .second best, to Thos. Ilobertson, gr. to B. A. Fahnestock. Colketinn of sij; Plonti — for the 

 best to Mark llill, gr. to M. W. Baldwin. Specimen Plant — for the best, to Chas. Sutherland, for Clerodendr 

 fallax ; for the second best, to John Pollock, gr. to James Dundas, for Adamia versicolor. Table design — for 

 best, to H. A. Dreer. Baskets — for the best, to J. J. Ilabermehl ; for the second best, to Mark Hill. Bouqiiets 



