DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



147 



mens came to hand in poor order, they having 

 Dcen gathered when the fruit was wet." The 

 specimens first exliibited were presented by Mr. 

 J. L. L. F. Warren, the last by Mr. Jenney. We 

 presume that the opinion first expressed, was 

 somewhat too liastily formed, and that the variety 

 in question was approved of upon trial; still that 

 opinion was very stringent and decided, and we 

 should hardl}' presume that the fruit being gathered 

 when it was wet, would make the dilTcrenee be- 

 tween "very acid" fruit, "not worthy of culti- 

 vation," and fruit "of llavor extremely rich," and 

 "among the best." The Mottiers' and Willey's 

 Seedling, which were presented at the same time 

 and by the same person, and equally condemned, 

 were probably gathered "when the fruit was 

 wet," yet we find no change of opinion, on the 

 part of the committee, as to their quality. Fruit 

 may be " very acid," and still have a " rich fla- 

 vor." We should be pleased to know what the 

 true characters of these varieties are, especially 

 Jcnney's Seedling, whether they are too acid to 

 become popular here, and " better adapted to a 

 southern climate," or whether they are desirable 

 varieties to raise for the market. In this question 

 other cultivators besides ourselves are interested, 

 and we would request an answer from the " com- 

 mittee," or other source. L. C- E. Providence, 

 R. L, Aug. 13. 



The best mode of grafting. — Under the 

 head of " Excellent mode of setting grafts," in 

 your last number, "cloth brushed over on one 

 side with grafting wax," is recommended. The 

 •asiest and most expeditious way of preparing the 

 cloth is to dip it into the wax when hot, and 

 " strip " the cloth between two sticks, so as to 

 squeeze from it all the composition possible, and 

 spread it out till it dries or becomes cool. The 

 use of cloth prepared in this way is very common 

 here, and is approved of wherever tried. The 

 process is very speedy, more so than any other, 

 full as successful and very neat. If the weather 

 is cold when the composition is made, the use of 

 lard instead of tallow renders the cloth more 

 pliable. — Id. 



Turpentine injurious to trees. — The fol- 

 lowing item of experience may, perhaps, serve 

 some of your readers. In the spring of '45, you 

 will remember, our apple orchards were terribly 

 infested with caterpillars; and seeing in one of 

 the agricultural papers of the day, that turpentine 

 would efiectually destroy them, I poured some of 

 the spirits on many of the nests, in some cases 

 quite saturating them. The etrcct on the cater- 

 pillars was all that could be desired; but it killed, 

 without exception, every branch upon which it 

 was applied, scorching and shrinking up the bark, 

 and causing it to cleave from the wood. And in 

 the case of one young, thrift)"- tree, of eight inches 

 in diameter, where the nest happened to be di- 

 rectly in the crotch, the whole tree was destroyed, 

 the spirits having been applied copiously and run 

 down some two or three feet on the trunk. 



If this experiment shall save others from the 

 use of turpentine for such a purpose, it will not 



have been made in vain. .9. C. H. Hillside, on 

 the Hudson,' July 22d, 1846. 



The true Peach Plum. — This plum, the fruit 

 of which you so much admired, I have taken some 

 pains to ascertain the history of. It was imported 

 from France, in April, 1820, by the late James C. 

 Duane, of this city, and has been cultivated b)^ all 

 the lovers of line fruit in this vicinity, to the 

 present time. The name was lost, but as one in 

 the invoice was called Apricot Plum, the name 

 was applied to this fruit. From a late examina- 

 tion of the fruit with your assistance, however, I 

 am satisfied that it is the Prune Peche, Peach 

 Plum, of Noisette, and other French writers. 



It is a rather tender variety, so far north as this, 

 the young wood in the nursery being killed for 

 several inches in severe winters. For the same 

 cause it is a somewhat shy bearer, its fruit buds 

 being injured in the winter, when those of the 

 Egg, Washington, Green Gage, &c., escape injury. 

 It is a strong upright grower, young wood smooth, 

 purple, with medium length of joint, buds plump 

 above the footstalk, below flat or slightly depress- 

 ed; leaf large, ovate, slightly hairy on the under 

 side; footstalk slightly hairy, with two large oval 

 glands near the leaf. Fruit large, roundish, mea- 

 suring six inches in circumference, rather larger 

 on one side of the suture, which is distinct. Stem 

 short, scarcely half an inch long, curved, and in- 

 serted in a round cavity; there is a slight depres- 

 sion in the eye. Color red, shining through a 

 whitish bloom, with a few small yellow dots; 

 looking like a handsome peach, rather than a 

 plum. Flesh firm, j-ellowish green, and slightly 

 sub -acid; parts freely from the stone, which is 

 blunt at both ends, and deeply furrowed down tlie 

 thickest edge. Its fine size, beautiful appearance, 

 and early maturity, (ripening about the fifth of 

 August,) render it a very desirable variety. This 

 summer, it ripened ten days earlier than usual, 

 the season being very forward. Trees of this 

 variety can be obtained from the nurseries of 

 James D. Velthouse, and Christopher Reagles, in 

 this city. 



This plum is entirely distinct from the plum in 

 the nurseries on Long Island, and elsewhere, un- 

 der the name of Duane"s Purple French, which is 

 a clingstone. Yours truly, Charles H. Tomlinson. 

 Schenectady, Jlug. 6th, 1846. 



[Our readers will observe a figure of this very 

 rare fruit, to which our attention was first drawn 

 by Mr. Tomlinson, in another page of this num- 

 ber.— Ed.] 



Comments on the Horticulturist, No. 1. 



Hedges, p. 23. — The most beautiful hedge that 

 I have seen, is of Hemlock (Pinus canadensif). 

 When trained and clipped, it becomes a dense wall 

 of verdure. 



Page 34. — The kind of Laurel referred to, is 

 Kalmia luti/olia ; but Rhododendron laaxinnnn is 

 not better adapted to our common soil. Imleed a 

 long list of ornamental plants might be made, in- 

 cluding jlndromedas, which perish from the same 

 cause. 



Double Convolvulus, p. 48. — I have ha<l for 

 many years a double Convolvuhis panduratus. On 



