1876.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



271 



By pinching the tips of the stocts we obtain 

 branched heads, and so are enabled to set several 

 grafts on one plant. 



Instead of potting, some firms just envelope 

 the roots in a ball of moss fastened with wire. 

 These are very handy for shipping. 



They must at no time be kept too moist. Are 

 saleable next fall as one-year olds. 



The fruit we exhibited at the Centennial were 

 not show berries, as the English grow them, for 

 the plants were literally loaded with fruit. 



We have measured berries 5| by 3| inches in 

 circumference, weighing from 1^ to 1^ oz. 



These statements are actual facts and may be 

 relied on. If these notes will be of any use to 

 you we shall be glad to have you use them. 



LINSEED OIL FOR SCALE. 



BY DR. M. W. PHILIPS. 



This morn Prof. Wheat asked me if I had seen 

 the Gardener's Monthly for July, stating that 

 * Mr. Meehan pays to you a very high tribute." 

 I read it, and said, " I would rather have it than 

 the praise of officers and courts of our country." 

 My business for forty years has been farm life. 

 I love it. I love trees and flowers, stock of all 

 kinds ; even prefer the " caw ! " " caw ! " to all 

 your "harps with a thousand strings," although I 

 am devotedly fond of music, the voice or instru- 

 ment ; yes sir, the praise of such a man is in- 

 comparably sweet to me. But, please, only give 

 me due praise ; I would not pluck a leaf from 

 any man's laurel. I have been a learner since I 

 was sent on earth, 1806, January. When I know 

 of a good thing, or if even it can be, and trial 

 can only prove, to this extent only have I done 

 duty. 



Settle the vexed question— the blue hen laid 

 the eggs, the black hen had the hatching, 

 which has the credit? 



J. J. Wheat, D. D., Prof, of Greek, painted his 

 trees with linseed oil, trees 1, 2 to .5 or 6 years 

 old, limbs of any size, and stem to the earth. 



I saw the fact one or two years after the first, 

 and three to six months after the last painting. 

 Dr. W. opened the bark where the blight was, 

 and 'the wood was healthy. My opinion was. 

 and is to this extent confirmed, that the insect, or 

 something depositing eggs (insect or vegetable), 

 the latter as yeast or " beer seed," is destroyed. I 

 know the blight, have fought it; seen as splendid 

 trees in orchard ruined by blight; seedlings, in a 



yard where no culture, earth only removed for 

 trees; old trees in a garden where manure, 

 green and rotted, was applied liberally, yet all 

 died in one year, destroyed, I say, by the fungi, 

 whether spores deposited by atmosphere, stung 

 by an insect, or what, I know not. The rot in 

 cotton bolls, I believe, I first suggested to Mr. 

 Townsend Glover at my house was caused by an 

 insect, and I sent to Patent Office the little bug, 

 as scary as the curculio. Why not poison from 

 an insect on the bark of the pear? At all events, 

 mine offence was telling what I saw, believing, 

 hoping it would prove worth millions to my fel- 

 low citizens in America. Thanks to you, my 

 friend. 



Let me say, Dr. J. J. ^\^leat is an expert in 

 the garden, small fruit, and the orchard. I heard 

 a Bishop of the Episcopal Church for two hours 

 or more. I remarked to one of his brethren, a 

 Gen'l, " Wliy did you spoil such a speaker in 

 making a Bishop ? " I say now as to Dr. W., one 

 of the rare men for farm, or garden, or fruit, was 

 spoiled in making of him a Greek Professor. 

 Upon my word I would prefer his talent for the 

 practical to all Greek lore from Thucidides, 

 Xenephon, Euripides down to — well, all the 

 ancient lore. I have been a student, of books 

 and the practical, for near fifty years. I ought to 

 know what is success, whether in a cabbage or in 

 pear culture. 



CLASSIFICATION OF FRUITS. 



BY W. H. SEAMAN, W.^HINGTON, D. 0. 



In the last number of the Gardener's Monthly yoxi 

 allude to the need of a classification of apples,nuni- 

 ber of " fruits as plants are arranged." Now, are 

 you sure the thing is possible ? In these days 

 when all species are declared '• va?*ie^ies of types," 

 "whose boundaries cannot be certainly defined," 

 what characters will you select in, say the apple, 

 which shall remain so unchangeable under the 

 influence of varying soils and climates, as to 

 enable any variety to be unerringly detected by 

 even an experienced man? I have seen two 

 sets of apples handed to a competent fruit 

 grower, who was utterly at a loss on one— though 

 well acquainted with the other— both grown on 

 the same graft and exhibited by the grower. 

 Now, I have received apples from Missouri, said 

 to be seedlings. In appearance and taste they 

 were identical with the Pound Sweet. A priori^ 

 there is no reason why a second seedling should 



