EDITOK'3 TABLE. 



£()ifo^'3 Ii)51e. 



PoMOLOGicAL CONVERSATIONS. — During the State Fair at Saratoga, a small party of gen- 

 tlemen particularly interested in pomology, spent a portion of their evenings in an informal 

 or conversational discussion of some interesting topics. We are indebted to the Country 

 Gentleman for the report. 



First Evening. — Cracking of tlie Pear. — The subject of the cracking of the pear was 

 introduced, and a number of gentlemen present were unanimous in stating that in Xew 

 England and in other places where the cracking had generally destroyed the ^VJiite Doyenne, 

 (or Virgaliev,) this variety had entirely escaped when propagated on the quince. The 

 only exception was mentioned by A. Saul, of Newburgh, where it is usually quite fair, but 

 during the present season of extraordinary rains, it had cracked badly, and alike on both 

 quince and pear. E. W. Leavenworth, of Syracuse, said that of the thousands of bearing 

 trees of that place, none had ever cracked except those brought from Long Island ; hence 

 the inference that the disease was mainly from a constitutional condition of the stock or 

 variety — most others, however, inclined to the opinion that this disaster results from a 

 peculiarity of the season. The present year it had been more prevalent than usual ; A. 

 Saul stated that all his early pears were tine, and the late ones much injured ; the first part 

 of the season being favorable, and the latter excessively wet. Oases were mentioned, how- 

 ever, where the influence of soil had contributed to the same result, in trees dissimilarly 

 affected in the same immediate neighborhood, subjected alike to every peculiarity of the season. 



The only instance known where the SecTcel had ever cracked, was stated by E. W. 

 Leavenworth, whose trees had in one instance borne badly cracked fruit. Every alternate 

 row in his Sechel orchard had been heavily manured in the spring, the others remaining 

 unmanured, but all were affected alike. 



Several expressed the opinion that the Van Mons Leon le Clerc had of late years been 

 less affected with cracking than formerly, and that the over-estimate at first placed upon it 

 had induced many to place it too low. Some were of opinion that it very nearly approached 

 " best," while others considered it as only worthy to be classed with " good," according to 

 the scale of the American Pomological Congress. 



The opinion was expressed by a number present, that the cracking of fruit results from 

 the same cause that produces leaf-blight on the tree ; and several instances were mentioned 

 where the cracking had commenced first on the lower parts of the tree, where the leaves 

 had been correspondingly attacked. 



Select lists. — It was proposed that such gentlemen present as were familiar with the best 

 varieties of the pear, should furnish a list of the three best, or such as they would plant 

 the most largely for their own use. The Sechel, JBartlett, and Virgalieu, (or Doyenne,) 

 were selected by P. Barry, of Rochester ; E. W. Leavenworth, of Sj-racuse ; and T. C. 

 Maxwell, of Geneva. J. J. Thomas, of Macedon, named Flemish Beauty, SecJcel, Yirga- 

 J. Battey, of Clinton county, preferred Louise Bonne de Jersey, Flemish Beavty, 

 Winkjield. Dr. Wendell, of Albany, and A. Satjl, of Ncwburgh, would choose 



