i68 JVotcs and Gleanings. 



Starr. Mr. Berckmans, of Augusta, Ga., speaks of this as very promising for 

 market. 



Jucunda, Agriculturist, Ida, Dr. Nicaise, Napoleon III., La Constanta, and 

 many other new and much lauded varieties, have not proved of much value with 

 us, the plants, in most cases being destroyed by the heat of the summer. By 

 growing seedlings here, we should, no doubt, soon secure new varieties better 

 adapted to our wants than most of those now sent us from the North and from 

 Europe. Rtcral Carolinian. 



Russian Apples. — At the meeting of the Northern Illinois Horticultural 

 Society, Mr. E. H. Skinner, of Marengo, read an essay on Russian apples, which 

 is published in the Western Rural, and from which we make the following 

 extracts : — 



"The growing interest in procuring hardy varieties of the apple to supply the 

 extensive region of the north-west, has induced me to procure from Europe a 

 number of varieties, originating in a high northern latitude, some of them as far 

 north as sixty-two and a half degrees. 



" Four hundred of these varieties were obtained from Dr. Lucas, of Germany, 

 accompanied with a list of their names in the German language. Nineteen were 

 of Russian origin, and their names are Tetofsky, Szabadkaer grasser Szentsika, 

 Pojnik apple, Charlamoosky, Czsilinis Szertiska, Schickenappel, Reinette Sze- 

 cheny, Outz Reinette, Passarts Natavia, Granat apple, Agaapfel, Kaupauger, 

 Norwegian Wax Reinette, Youngfernschanchen, Duchess of Oldenburg, Boro- 

 vitsky, Borsdofifer, Sczintzky. 



" The Duchess of Oldenburg is a perfect type of the class called Russian 

 apples ; and if crops that I have raised on sixty-two trees, for the past five years, 

 may be taken as an example of productiveness of the new kinds, which are now 

 being tested, it is certainly a promising experiment. This variety (the Duchess) 

 is found quite hardy as far north as St. Paul, Minnesota ; but, unfortunately, it 

 does not fill the place of a winter apple ; and if, among the nineteen varieties 

 which I now offer to this society, should be found one winter fruit, as hardy 

 and productive as the Duchess, I should consider it a more enduring and honor- 

 able monument than to have a marble statue erected to my memory. 



" But it is objected to these fruits that they are coarse, and not equal to the 

 older sorts in flavor. Granted ; but are we to reject the fruits which Nature has 

 placed within reach of the poorest and humblest citizen, who, but for these hardy 

 fruits, would as seldom know the flavor of any apple as we do of the pine-apple .'' 



" The great north-west, including North Illinois, on its southern boundary, 

 and the extensive wheat growing regions of British America on its northern 

 frontier, is a region vast in its extent, and important in its future destinies. In 

 all this immense region, there is every reason to believe that the improved Rus- 

 sian and Siberian apples will find a congenial home, while most of the older and 

 more tender sorts will be partially or wholly excluded." 



Using up the Timber. — At the present rate of destruction the forests of 

 Michigan will be gone in about seventeen years. Somebody had better be 

 J lanting new ones, not only in Michigan, but in every other state. 



