1883.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



H3 



Brighton and Worden trained against a building 

 are growing and bearing nicely, and better than 

 the Concord under the same condition. 



What an interest is awakened about the old de- 

 spised Sand Pear. We have had one for forty or 

 more years, a beautiful tree, bearing every other 

 year a large crop of pears, and scarcely noticed 

 except by a hungry urchin tempted by the yellow 

 fruit to taste, and soon throw it away with a wry 

 face. Now sand pears or their offspring are all 

 the go. The seeds are precious, too. If the 

 Keifl'er's Hybrid should prove too near a relation- 

 ship to its parent for an eating pear, still it will 

 be valuable for cooking, and it is such a satis- 

 faction to see a tree grow so rapidly and strong 

 as they do, and bear so soon, too. We use or 

 give away our sand pears, for there is no kind 

 equal to them for pickling. The trees are orna- 

 mental, too, especially in the spring. Last year 

 we had a nice crop of Japanese sand pears. 

 They are of a russet hue, very productive, and in 

 quality like the Chinese ; in shape like the Buffum. 



\/hen inquired of as to what is the best pear in 

 all respects to plant in this section,.! answer the 

 Bartlett. And what next for profit ? The Mer- 

 riam, as a profitable, reliable pear, is continually 

 growing in favor. I am aware it is but little 

 known or planted, but so many of the largest and 

 best have and are failing that one not so high- 

 toned that will stay with us, grow fast, and hold 

 its abundant leaves until killed by frost, bear 

 abundantly of fair-sized and good fruit, keep a 

 long time in ripening, is certainly a desirable va- 

 riety, which no other sort of over one hundred 

 kinds we have grown will do. We have not been 

 visited with the pear tree blight, and cannot speak 

 in regard to that. I think the Manning Eliza- 

 beth the best pear that ripens before the Bartlett. 



It is singular to note how different some va- 

 rieties are from other sorts in the same orchard. 

 We once planted five Beurre Bosc, trees in the 

 same orchard with the Merriam Boussock, &c. ; 

 the Bosc all dwindled and died, and the fruit 

 worthless, while near us, where there is clay sub- 

 soil, they are the finest of pears. The purchaser 

 should make inquiries about the soil certain varie- 

 ties succeed in ere he makes a selection. 



For nearly fifty years we have been waging war 

 against the cucumber beetle or striped bug, but 

 after trying many ways, some quite troublesome 

 and expensive too, I recommend the planting of 

 one or more seeds of the Hubbard or Boston 

 squash in melon hills, and as the beetle is very 

 fond of the squash plant, they may eat them first 



and satisfy their hunger ; then pull them up when 

 the danger is over. The surest method, I think, 

 is to plant fifteen or twenty seeds ih a hill, and as 

 soon as they peep above the earth dust a little su- 

 perphosphate around and near, but not on the 

 plants. This will make it unpleasant for the beetle, 

 and they soon quit. It may be necessary to repeat 

 the dose lightly two or three times, as the rain may 

 prevent the escape of the ammonia ; and there is 

 this advantage over tobacco dust, hellebore, sul- 

 phur, &c., it will cause them to grow rapidly, feven 

 if the bugs do not come. A frequent inspection is 

 necessarv, for thev need it. 



WHEN SHALL WE BREAK LAND IN THE 

 SPRING ? 



BY RUSTICUS. 



In considering this subject there are two methods 

 that I take to convey my impressions. One is that 

 of a neighbor who is the most inveterate plower 

 of wet land that I ever knew. His practice is 

 most objectionable to me. He will break land 

 when the water flows in the furrows after the plow_ 

 Another neighbor was saying to me a few days 

 ago that this gentleman stopped plowing for some 

 days, first when the ground was in favorable plow- 

 ing condition, and renewed it when it was entirely 

 too wet. That sounds very odd. Turning over 

 land too wet "kills" it for that season, and if the 

 following winter be not severe, with heavy freezes, 

 the land will still feel the bad effects. If the earth 

 wears a shiny appearance when plowed or spaded 

 up, stop work, for it will almost inevitably bake 

 and remain cloddy throughout the season. Nothing 

 is gained by it, but much lost. The other person 

 I have in view rather errs on the other side. He 

 once injured a piece of land so seriously by break- 

 ing it up wet that he was led to wait and wait be- 

 fore plowing^ longer than absolutely necessary, 

 perhaps. Now, must we only break land when 

 dry as powder? I think this entirely unnecessary. 

 My view is that the " happy medium " is the cor- 

 rect thing. Farmers, generally, hold that where 

 soil compacts into a ball when pressed in the 

 ! hand, it should not be plowed or stirred. This is 

 hardly accurate, I opine. In the spring of the 

 I year land often becomes "weather hardened," and 

 needs exposing to air and sunlight for ameliora- 

 tion. It can be safely upturned even when some- 

 i what wet. Soon it will soften and crumble, and 

 I can be easily and advantageously worked. I 

 [ would not be misunderstood. It requires nice 

 judgment to determine the safe point. This year 



