^Ieasu7'e from 'Planting Trees. 227 



We cannot afford to discard some of our valuable varieties because they have got 

 this mark of uot being perfectly hardy this testing winter. The Maiden's Blush, 

 Jonathan, Domiue, and Striped Pippin are damaged this winter, and have been before, 

 yet they have proved profitable. 



Among the new varieties that I have fruited and found valuable, and have proved 

 hardy this winter, are Alexander's Early, WarBeld, Duchess of Oldenberg, all full 

 of fruit. Fountain Hill, a seedling of my raising, is hardy and productive, a very 

 choice apple from September to January ; will keep with the Rambo, and a better 

 tree and fruit every way. GofF, a most perfect tree, very productive, fruit of largest 

 size, fair and handsome, very sound, good for market and cooking, Sept. Blackley 

 Pippin, first rate, early winter. Jefferson County : Some with high expectations, 

 not fruited by me. Armstrong, brought from Pennsylvania by Rev. John Arm- 

 strong, a good apple, keeps till summer ; stood this winter well. Wealthy, a native 

 of Minnesota, as hardy as need be ; a very good apple, fall or winter. Pears con- 

 siderably damaged ; light crop. Cherries slightly damaged ; medium crop. The 

 English Morello is proving as hardy as Early Richmond, and a better cherry every 

 way, two weeks later, thus extending the cherry season. 



Grapes : Concords, Ives, Martha and Clinton. Others have mostly failed. Ives 

 earlier than Concord ; Clinton, to keep late in the fall ; Martha, a white and very 

 sweet grape. 



Small fruits badly damaged, and we shall have a scant supply. I saw, on Mr. 

 Barnard's grounds, the Bernard Blackberry stood the winter very well, and promises 

 to be the blackberry for our use. A native of Ohio, found by his brother in the 

 woods. 



Muscatine, Iowa. 



♦• 



Pleasure from Planting Trees. 



CAPTAIN Basil Hall, many years ago, while on a visit to Abbotsford, wrote : 

 " People accustomed to the planting of trees are well aware how grateful the 

 rising generations of the forest are to the hand which thins and prunes them. And 

 it makes one often melancholy to see what a destructive waste and retardation goes 

 on by the neglect of young wood ; how much beauty is lost ; how much wealth is 

 wantonly thrown away, and what an air of slovenliness is given to scenery which, 

 with a very little trouble, might have adorned and embellished, not to say enriched, 

 many a great estate. 



" I never saw this mischievous effect of indolence more conspicuously made mani- 

 fest than in a part of the grounds here. Sir Walter's property on one side is bounded 

 by a belt of trees, say twenty yards across. The marsh runs directly along the cen- 

 ter of this belt, so that one-half of the trees belong to his neighbor, the other to him. 

 The moment he came in possession, he set about thinning and pruning the trees, and 

 planting a number of hardwood shoots under the shelter of the firs. In a very short 

 time the efi"ect was evident. The trees, heretofore choked up, had run into scraggy 

 stems, and were sadly stunted in growth ; but having now room to breathe and take 

 exercise, they have shot up, in the course of a few yeai's, in a wonderful manner, and 



