332 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[November, 



Class, and breed true from seed, at least have 

 almost always done so with me. 



I have been engaged in raising seedling peaches 

 now for more than thirty years, and although al- 

 ways producing good and even excellent peaches 

 in reasonable frequencj, have never vmtil now 

 got peaches of permanent value. These are of 

 four or perhaps five classes; first, the August 

 red peaches, similar to the Xew York "Rareripes;" 

 second, Early September blush and white ; third, 

 the white melting "Willow," all freestones; 

 fourth, the blush and white free and cling, late 

 September, and fifth, the yellow October peaches, 

 free and cling. Of each of these I have four to 

 six trees, distinct seedlings, yet perfectly identi- 

 fiable as a class. Of the fifth class there are 

 eight trees, four cling and four of freestones, all 

 worth propagating, and without exception very 

 large in size, rich in quality and the most pro- 

 lific in bearing. 

 I have so often sent you specimens of these since 

 1870, that both last year and this I refrained, 

 though the crop was conspicuously fine. 



NOTES FROM TENNESSEE. 



BY B. F. TRANSOU, HUMBOLDT, TENN. 



With your permission I would like to re- 

 ply to Mr. E. S. N., of Chattanooga, in Au- 

 gust number. He objects to our round shape of 

 the genuine Wild Goose Plum. We consider 

 Chas. Downing good authority as a pomologist. 

 In his forms or shapes of pears, saj-s globular or 

 ovate, both of which will apply to the true Wild 

 Goose Plum, as you will find both those forms 

 on the same tree, perhaps a majority ovate. 

 Mr. E. S. N. says oval. If we take Webster's 

 definition — oval, egg shape, we protest, as the 

 true Wild Goose Plum is not egg shape. I am 

 at a loss to know how the above gentleman can 

 infer from my article I claimed or said, "our com- 

 mon old field plum was the Wild Goose," or that 

 "we did not graft or bud." No respectable nur- 

 sery man would send out a seedling as genuine. 

 He also objects to our statement — " thick as 

 blackberries." So they are in West Tennessee at 

 least; may not be, however, in his section. 



In speaking of peach pits you inquire, if of 

 different size. Mr. E. S. N. replies : " Some of 

 the fruit is large and some small, so also the 

 seeds are in like proportion, large and small." 

 We would also call your attention to the fact, 

 that it is not always the case that the largest 



peaches have the largest seed ; for instance, the 

 Heath Cling is a very large peach, and has a 

 very small seed, less than many peaches, not of 

 half the size. 



FRUIT IN MICHIGAN. 



BY E. D. MASON, DETROIT, MICH. 



The fruit crop of Michigan for 1876 is fair. 

 Small fruits, which are now nearly out of season, 

 have done well, but there is not enough raised 

 in the State to supply the local demand, and 

 large quantities are annually imported from 

 Ohio, Illinois and other States. Strawberries 

 were abundant this season on account of the 

 frequent showers, and raspberries produced well 

 and were much cheaper than usual. The cur- 

 rant and gooseberry caterpillars have been very 

 destructive this year, destroying the foliage and 

 damaging the fruit. The apple crop is fair, but 

 will not be heavy, as the fruit did not set very well, 

 and a considerable part of the crop is already 

 damaged by the apple-worm, the larva of the 

 codling-moth. Early in the season there was a 

 prospect of a fine crop of pears, as the trees 

 blossomed profusely and set well, but blight has 

 set in and is unusually destructive. The peach 

 crop will be fair throughout the State. 



NEW GRAPES. 



BY MR. GEO. HASKELI,, ireWICH, MASS. 



It will be recollected that a few years ago I 

 expressed in the Monthly a desire to have my 

 seedling grapes tried farther south, in a climate 

 where they would attain perfect maturity. Noth- 

 ing, however, was done to secure such a trial, 

 and I am, therefore, unable to send to the Exhi- 

 bition, in Horticultural week, ripe specimens of 

 these fruits. I regret this exceedingly, for I 

 think the varieties I have raised ought to be 

 known — to be seen and tasted— especially so, as 

 I see the Pomological Society's Report states 

 that only the Clinton and Concord succeed, gen- 

 erally, and they are only tolerable in quality; 

 certainly they are not hardier nor so good or 

 early as many of my seedlings. 



I am on the sea coast, about midway between 

 those cool summer i-esorts. Cape Ann and Hamp- 

 ton Beaches, and the fruit will not generally 

 ripen here before the last week in September, 

 and many varieties still later. 



I have put sashes over some varietie.«>, and 



