PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 133 



Subjects for discussio7i. — The subjects of " Protection from 

 Drought," and " Fruits," were selected for consideration at the 

 next meeting. Adjourned. 



August 19, 1861. 

 Mr. Austin Church in the chair. 



APPLES AND PEARS. 



Mr. Carpenter exhibited specimens of apples and pears, a 

 little later than those exhibited by him last week. Persons 

 wishing to set out fruit trees would be enabled to test the fruit 

 in advance, and would be enabled to detect any errors committed 

 by nurserymen in labelling their trees. The Alexander apple, 

 which usuall}^ ripens in September, has been forwarded by the 

 drought. He had found it a free bearer, bearing every j^ear. It 

 is a fine cooking apple, and large and showy for the market. 

 The Gravenstein is one of the best apples for the dessert or for 

 cooking. One of them will perfume a room. The Bay apple, 

 Jenny's seedling, small and finely flavored, and the Horse apple, 

 for cooking, were among those exhibited. Of pears, the Tyson, 

 Bloodgood, and Dearborn's seedling were mentioned. 



Mr. Robinson exhibited specimens of Erhard's early pear, 

 which he highly recommended, and of the early strawberry 

 apple, beautiful to the eye, and spicy to the taste, and as fragrant 

 as the Gravenstein, which every farmer should possess. 



Mr. John C. Bergen endorsed the recommendation of the apple, 

 but stated that it did not now succeed in Kings county. They 

 had done well twenty or twenty -five years ago; but he should now 

 be compelled to remove the trees. He presented specimens of 

 the Summer Bell or Windsor pear, of which he had spoken last 

 week. The Pomological conventions may reject it, but the public 

 consider it a good pear. 



Mr. Carpenter said that, in quality, this pear is but second 

 rate, but that for market purposes it might be serviceable. 



Mr. Bergen said that this pear is astringent, and that many 

 persons prefer the Bell pear to the Bartlett, because it is astrin- 

 gent. This pear ought not to be set aside as unworthy of culti- 

 vation. 



THE HESSIAN FLY VS. THE APHIS. 



Mr. Robinson read a letter from a gentleman in Montrose, Pa., 

 enclosing wheat-heads infested with insects this season for the 

 first time, and inquiring whether it was the Hessian fiy. 



