EDITOR'S TABLE. 



For the benpfit of the public, I will state that one of the committee appointed by the New 

 York State Agricultural Society, wrote me that he had a few trees in his yard, or lot. To one 

 he applied Mr. Mathews' remedy, and to the others the shaking and killing pi-ocess. (I write now 

 from recollection, not having his letter before me.) The one to which 3Ir. Mathews' remedy waa 

 applied (only once) had an enormous crop of fruit; once or twice he shook off or picked off half 

 of the fruit, and then the tree was too full, and it was evenly distributed over the whole tree. 

 "With the other system, he had to coiitinue from day to day, for weeks, shaking, catching, and 

 killing, and the result waa a moderate crop only. Thus the superiority of Mr. MAXjiEWb' remedy — 

 a large crop and one ap])lication. 



In another experiment by the same person in another lot, he was not as successful as in his 

 home lot, but expresses himself decidedly that it is the best remedy ever offered, so far. In order 

 that they may give it another trial, and be particular in each application, the committees have 

 agreed to test it again next season, and then report fully. 



Mr. Mathews', in a late letter to me, says he will wager $100 on any tree, in any soil, and any 

 where, that he will save a full crop by one application of his remedy. I have, from my experi- 

 ments, the fullest confidence in it. A. Fahnestook. — Syracuse, N. Y. 



"We are glad to have assurances so encouraging. We hope all that is here said will be 

 more than realized. "We impatiently await the committee's report. Some time ago we 

 expressed the belief that one season would not satisfy tliem. Impatient as we are, we are 

 glad that tliey are determined not to be rash. Rashness is one of the errors of the day. 



House Ripening of Fruit. — Your leading article, in the last number of the Horticulturist, is 

 on a subject of great importance, in my opinion, and in itself is a host of information. But as 

 you ask others' experience, I will take the liberty of sending you some of mine. Some six or 

 eight years ago, I was called upon to graft a Pear tree, belonging to a neighbor, who stated that 

 the tree bore nothing but worlhless fruit. The following autumn, chancing to pass by the tree, 

 I noticed some very fine looking Pears on the branches that had been left ungrafted ; asked for, 

 and obtained a few. I took them home, and ripened them in the house, and they got quite good, 

 — the owner called them first rate. Last summer I obtained a few English Jargonelle Pears 

 from a neighbor, that were so green as to be considered worthless. I told him that we would 

 see about that. About ten days after, when in company with him, I handed him one of the 

 Pears, and had to assert very earnestly that they were the same ones, before he would be convinced. 

 In my notion there is no Pear that is so much improved as the Jargonelle by house-ripening ; for 

 under proper treatment it can be made quite good ; but if left ripen on the tree, I consider it a 

 vile fruit. 



Yesterday I purchased two bushels of Pears, on the tree, for which I paid twenty -five cents 

 per bushel, as the owner said they were not good for anything. It is a Pear quite common about 

 here, but universally left laying under the trees to rot, or converted into cider. My calculation 

 is wrong if I don't make a good Pear out of it about January or February. 



Kow about the ripening of Pears. Summer varieties have always done well with me, taken 

 from the tree about ten or fifteen days before they might be ripe upon the tree, carefully hand 

 picked, laid into a drawer which should not be closed quite tight, and mj' word for it, many Pears 

 that are not worth picking up Avhen fallen ripe from the tree, will be found to prove of good quality. 



As to winter Pears, my plan is to pick them carefully, lay them on the floor of a northern 

 room for two weeks (the room nearly dark), with only enough air through the windows to 

 prevent the dampness from settling upon them in cool nights. I then pack them in a box pretty 

 close, and leave them in as even a temperature as possible, until I want them for use; then put 

 a small quantity in a warm room, in a box or drawer, and in ten or twenty days they will begin 

 to ripen. IIow to eat a good Pear in winter no one need be told. 



