editor's table. 483 



some plums ; the Relne Claude were especially delicious, and the whole highly creditable to 

 the grower's skill. The beautiful little Washington pear is an especial favorite, excellent 

 and highly ornamental when ripe. 



Effect of the Stock upon the Graft. — I hare a word to say in relation to the eifect of 

 the stock upon the graft. 



About thirty years since, my father grafted two apple-trees of some size, with scions 

 taken from the same tree, and of the same variety (Little Core). The trees stood on pre- 

 cisely similar soil, and within a few rods of each other ; but the original fruit on one was 

 sweet and dry, while the other produced juicy and quite acid fruit. The produce of the 

 graft exhibited a marked difference in form, flavor, and color ; the sweet stock yielding 

 fruit more marked with red, drier, less acid and firmer in texture than the other. 



One of the trees is now dead, or I would send you a specimen of fruit from both. I am 

 not able now to refer to the query mentioned by Mr. Huling, but it is a common remark, 

 that " there are two kinds of Greenings," and there is really so much difference in the 

 Rhode Island Greening on different trees in this vicinity, that I am not surprised at the 

 general belief in two varieties, and I am not able to prove that it is not correct, yet I am 

 convinced, by several years' observation of all the facts within reach, that the difference is 

 wholly due to the effect of the stock upon the graft, and that this variation has been con- 

 tinued and increased, as suggested by Mr. H., until, in some cases, the fruit would hardly 

 be recognized. 



In conclusion I have a question to propose. If scions of a fine buttery pear were grafted 

 on a stock of opposite character, and this regrafted with a third, which of the first two 

 would produce most effect on the last ? Yours truly, Wm. F. Basset, Ashfield, Mass. 



The Great Conservatory of the London Horticultural Society's gardens is about to be 

 devoted to the growth of grape-vines. For these a border four feet wide has been made all 

 round the outside of the house. It is bottomed with brickbats, over which are laid nine 

 inches in depth of rough gravel for drainage, over that again are laid turfs broken a little 

 with the grassy side downwards, and on these is put the soil in which the vines are to be 

 planted. This consists of good sound loam mixed with burned turf which has been well 

 soaked with liquid manure. Mr. M'Ewen is of opinion that vine borders should never be 

 made wider than four feet at first. His plan is to widen them in proportion to the growth 

 of the vines, and the outward extension of their roots. The latter have thus fresh soil 

 applied to them at a time when they most require it, whereas if the border was made its 

 full width at once, the soil on that side of it furthest from the house would be compara- 

 tively worthless for the support of the vines long before the roots had reached it. The 

 advantage of making borders piecemeal will therefore be apparent. 



The Berberis Dulcis, sweet Barberry, is thus alluded to by Dr. Lindley : — 

 We have to thank the kindness of a New Hampshire correspondent, "A. W.," for some 

 fine specimens of the fruit of Berberis Dulcis, a hardy evergreen shrub that bears profusely 

 near Shirley. The branches are loaded with berries of the deepest purple, many of which 

 are fully half an inch in diameter. When quite ripe they are said richly to deserve the 

 name the species bears, but it is difficult to prevent birds carrying them off before their 

 sweetness is formed. Berries of Berberis Darwinii accompanied them, but we fear that no 

 time or sunshine will convert their acid into sugar. In the meanwhile, Berberis Dulcis may 

 now be fairly placed among the smaller table fruits, along with currants, gooseberries, aud 

 their allies. 



