420 



THE VALUE OF ASHES, LIME, ETC., FOR FRUIT TREES. 



is in such soils that I have seen grown the 

 most perfect fruit. 



The " Ehode Island Greening," classed 

 by nearly all as a 'variety to he placed in 

 select lists, has not proved a first class ap- 

 ple in all places in northern Ohio ; and at 

 this time, cultivators in central southern 

 Ohio, deem it an insult to place it in a list 

 recommended for their culture. 



Such is the diversity of appearance in 

 this fruit, grown in different soils in north- 

 ern Ohio, that I at one time believed there 

 must have been grown seedlings by the set- 

 tlers from Connecticut, where the Greening 

 is, or was, among the best, from seeds of 

 this variety ; and so much resembling the 

 true, as not to have been detected. Having 

 upon my grounds two trees of Greening in 

 bearing, and which were standing within 

 ten rods of each other, and apparently upon 

 a similar (sandy) soil; the one fruiting a 

 clear, perfect fruit, — the other the blotched, 

 dull green, or " mouldy" variety, I last 

 year applied wood ashes to the latter, and 

 this season the fruits perfected alike. 



In central southern Ohio, and on the 

 borders of the Ohij river, twenty-five years 

 since, this was esteemed one of their very 

 best apples. At this time, with some ex- 

 ceptions, it is discarded. In the Ohio 

 Fruit Grower's Report for 1848, page 25, 

 Dr. Barker speaks of an orchard in Musk- 

 ingum county, a freestone soil, and fruiting 

 as fine as ever. And again, of having 

 found bitter rot in all orchards of this va- 

 riety which he had visited, except the one 

 above named and one other, which latter 

 had been supplied with ashes. 



As I before remarked, while there are 

 sections denominated limestone sections, it 

 is not always that any portion of lime is 

 incorporated with the soil, at a depth which 

 the roots of a tree would naturally reach. 

 That such is the case, and that the soil, 



where twenty-five years since this variety 

 succeeded, is now exhausted in this mate- 

 rial, would appear, from the fact of an ap- 

 plication of wood ashes having rendered 

 the fruit again perfect. 



The "Winesap"is a variety which ap- 

 farently adapts itself to all soils, and in ail, 

 is a fair appearing fruit ; but when grown 

 in soils which have lime as a component, 

 I have found the texture not as fine and not 

 as crisp and sprightly as when grown in 

 sandy loam. 



The " Newtown Pippin" succeeds most 

 admirably in most of northwestern, central 

 and southwestern Ohio, where lime is found. 

 Instances are known where it has not proved 

 good in these sections ; but they have, when 

 known to the writer, been always traced to 

 a want of lime in the soil. In soils deficient 

 in lime, an application of lime, or a liberal 

 dressing of wood ashes, has resulted in pro- 

 ducing good fruit. Cultivators vary in opi- 

 nion, as to whether this variety answers 

 best on what are termed clay, or on sandy 

 soils. My own observation has been to 

 award it a medium, i. e., a loamy soil, and 

 more or less abounding in lime. 



The analysis of Prof. Emmons of the 

 wood of the apple, pear, &c., as published 

 in the Horticulturist (for January) last year, 

 has been productive of much good ; but to 

 enable cultivators correctly to grow dif- 

 ferent varieties in perfection, an analysis 

 must be made of each separate and distinct 

 variety, from which the grower can decide 

 (knowing his soil,) what particular material 

 is necessary to be applied. Very respect- 

 fully, F. R. Elliott. 



Cleveland, Ohio, Feb. 3, 1849. 



Remarks. — We owe Mr. Elliott our 

 sincere thanks for the foregoing interesting, 

 and practical observations. We beg those 

 who are inclined to underrate the value of 

 special manures, (and among the rest an 



