176 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



\June^ 



PEAR TREES. 



BY ISAAC HICKS, OLD WESTBURY , L. I., N. Y. 



No trees have disappointed us like pears. 

 Tiiey frequently bear a good crop a few years 

 and then fail. That most excellent pear, the 

 Lawrence, is generally cracking and covered 

 with a fungus like its reputed parent, the White 

 Doyenne ; and Vicar is scarce worth growing. 

 We have one variety that has never failed ; it is 

 hardy as an oak, leaves hang on through the 

 season, and the fruit is pretty good. It is but 

 little cultivated, but the Meriam will pay us, I 

 believe, better than any other variety. 



now plenty of varieties known to fill all these 

 requirements to select from. 



REMARKS ON A FEW NEW AND OLD 

 FRUITS. 



BY ISAAC HICKS, OLD AVESTBURY, N. Y. 



Of all the Winter apples we have seen none 

 excel in profuse bearing the Smith's Cider. It 

 is not a rapid grower, especially in the nursery, 

 but it is a beautiful fruit, not of the highest 

 flavor, but where it is known is a great favorite. 

 Tetofsky I think will disappoint some of its 

 planters. It is not a new apple, as I was in- 

 formed about it from a fruit grower in Orange 

 County thirty years ago, and on inquiry recently 

 when there, was told it was a poor grower and a 

 short lived tree, and was not now planted out 

 by those acquainted with its habits. 



I have been watching for three years the 

 i^ew Rochelle Raspberry raised by S. P. Car- 

 penter of that place. It is quite distinct from 

 any other variety in its manner of growth 

 of cane and great productiveness of fruit. Of 

 course we cannot tell how it will succeed in 

 other than the rocky soil of Westchester, but 

 hope it will have an extensive trial. The berry 

 is purple, shaped like a wide spread thimble, 

 and as good if not better than the Philadelphia, 

 and as I have none to sell am impartial. 



The Yosemite Plum, found among the Sierras 

 of California, is a profuse bearer, of medium 

 sized fruit, and seems to be curculio-proof. On 

 two trees I saw loaded with plums, and each 

 plum bearing the curculio's crescent, none had 

 penetrated. The fruit is somewhat astringent, 

 but if it elsewhere is proof it will be well worth 

 planting. 



In planting an orchard I consider the first 

 requisite to be, does the variety grow well? The 

 second, is it a good fruit and regular bearer? 

 Third, is it a good apple to sell and of a large 

 size ? I have many nice varieties but poor 

 growers and too small to sell well. There are 



HARDNESS OF THE JAPAN PERSIMMON. 



BY A. B. C, PHILADELPHIA. 



A few years ago I purchased a dozen Japan 

 Persimmon plants, desiring to be ahead in pos- 

 sessing so reputable a novelty. I kept one plant 

 under protection during the Winter season, and 

 left the rest out ; but they were all dead in the 

 Spring. The other I kept protected in the Win- 

 ter until it should get strong when I thought it 

 certainly would take care of itself. By last Fall 

 it had a stem about three inches round, and the 

 whole plant was about four feet high, and I 

 thought now if ever it ought to be able to take 

 care of itself, so it was left out as other trees are 

 without any protection. But this Spring it is 

 dead, root and branch. The season as recently 

 noted in the Gardener's Monthly, has been 

 very unfavorable for the twiggy evergreens on 

 account of the very high and cold winds which 

 prevailed; but for deciduous trees the Winter 

 was a fair average one. I have on my grounds 

 some plants of the Oregon Sycamore Maple 

 which always looses some portions of its 

 branches, in proportion to the sevei'ity of the 

 Winter ; but this season it has suff"ered rather 

 less than usual. I feel quite sure that we shall 

 never be able to grow the Japan Persimmon in 

 the vicinity of Philadelphia. 



HOW I WAS RUINED BY A GOOSEBERRY. 



BY S., CLINTON, N. Y. 



My name is Smith. The family name is old 

 and honorable. We are very proud of it. It 

 has been traced back to Shem, one of the sons 

 of Xoah, with the usual philological modifica- 

 tions. Three brothers of the name came over 

 in the Mayflower or soon after. 



It was always a tradition in the family that 

 some one of the name would be elected to the 

 American Congress. Five had already been 

 hung before it fell to my lot to be the honored 

 Vice-President by the votes of my countrymen. 



I had been re-elected, and by the advocacy of 

 moral popular measures had myself become 

 popular. One of my speeches had been pub- 

 lished at government expense and widely cir- 

 culated. My reputation was untarnished and 

 the future looked to be full of promise. 



Just at tliis juncture the hand of fate inter 

 vened, and I fell a victim to horticulture. The 



