240 



CULTURE OF THE NEWTOWN PIPPIN. 



By far the best mode of growing it, in 

 this climate, however, is that of turning it 

 out in the open border about the last of 

 May, in rich, deep, highly manured soil. 

 Some specimens, six or eight feet high, 

 which we saw in full bloom at Montgomery 

 Place lately, were the most superb and 

 striking objects in the large and beautiful 

 flower garden of that demesne. Treated 

 in this way, they grow most luxuriantly, 

 and are loaded with flowers all summer. 

 In October they are taken up, put into 

 boxes or tubs, and placed in the green- 

 house or conservatory for the winter. Here 

 they are kept in a somewhat dormant state. 



with only a very moderate supply of water, 

 till the time comes for their being replanted 

 in the open border, in the spring. 



This plant is, as yet, quite rare in this 

 country, though easily propagated by cut- 

 tings. Mr. BuisT, of Philadelphia, how- 

 ever, has propagated it in his collection, 

 and esteems it as one of the most conspicu- 

 ous ornaments of the flower garden, or the 

 conservatory. 



The fluwers give out a most agreeable 

 perfume, especially after nightfall. This 

 genus of plants was named after Professor 

 Brugmans, who wrote several botanical 

 works of merit. 



REMARKS ON THE CULTURE OF THE NEWTOWN PIPPIN. 



BY S A. BARRETT, MILTON, N. Y. 



Is NOT the existing prejudice against this 

 tree, particularly in the valley of the Hud- 

 son, ill-founded ? It will flourish on any 

 soil, in our latitude and climate, that is not 

 too wet; and all that is requisite, to make 

 it highly productive and profitable, is judi- 

 cious treatment. Feed it, keep it clean, and 

 trim it hut little. Nature did not " get it 

 up" on the plan of a locust tree ; she gave 

 it a full, well developed head, and we 

 should do well to allow her to keep it so. 

 In the cool, humid climate of England, 

 thinning the heads of apple trees may be 

 indispensable ; but here, in the state of 

 New- York, where we have the extremes of 

 heat and cold,' — our summers hot and sun- 

 ny, and our winters exhibiting specimens 

 of every clime and season — varying nearly 

 a hundred degrees of temperature in a sin- 

 gle day — the labor of thinning the heads 

 of apple trees is worse than lost ! It engen- 

 ders premature decay, not only by wound- 

 ing, but by letting in too much alternate 



heat and cold, and diminishes the quantity, 

 and deteriorates the quality, of the fruit.. 

 This important fact is becoming understood 

 and appreciated; and the English method 

 of pruning, so extensively and injuriously 

 introduced into this country by English 

 farmers, gardeners and nurserymen, is fast 

 becoming obsolete. I have seen the New- 

 town Pippin thrifty in growth, and pro- 

 ducing fine fruit upon light, sandy soils. I 

 have seen it heavily laden with perfect 

 fruit, upon strong gravelly, and deep sandy 

 loams ; and again, I have seen it bearing 

 well upon stiff clay, and among slaty ledges, 

 where an Alpine chamois might feel per- 

 fectly at home. But the soils which the 

 Pippin most delights in, are a warm, gra- 

 velly, and deep, strong, sandy loam ; but 

 in no variety of soil will it put forth all its 

 excellencies without some care. It should 

 never incline /Jowi the sun ; as it has, inva- 

 riably, a rough bark, into which insects 

 easily lodge their larva, and such a posi- 



