186 Domestic Notices. 



ing, by a course of enriching the ground, scraping, trimming, and engraft- 

 ing, seem to have sprung into new lil'e, and are now truly interesting and 

 prolific bearers. The method of trimming this orchard may be regarded as 

 worthy of notice and imitation. Large limbs, when attached to the tiunk so 

 as not to be in danger of splitting down, however near the ground, are per- 

 mitted to remain. The process of trimming is pursued gradually by remov- 

 ing dead or decaying branches as they may appear, and small limbs from the 

 extremities of the branches, when found too thick to ripen the fruit. Or- 

 chards are often injured, and many times wholly destroyed, by cutting off 

 large limbs and trimming up the trunks of the trees, with a view to get a 

 symmetrica] or well proportioned top. This orchard contains the greatest 

 variety of apples w*e have found, many of which are newly introduced into 

 the country, and are of superior excellence. Mr. Goodrich also has a fine 

 variety of pears and plums, with grapes and smaller fruits. We therefore 

 award to him the premium of $5 00 for the best orchard and fruit garden, 

 taken as a whole, that came under our examination. 



The fruit gardens of Prof. J. Torrcy, Sion E. Howard, and John N. 

 Pomeroy, Esq., are rich treats for the horticulturist to visit. Each of these 

 gentlemen literally "sits under his own vine and fig-tree." The garden of 

 Professor Torrey is peculiar for its rare and choice varieties, and to him are 

 the public indebted for the introduclion of many of these varieties. His ap- 

 ples, pears, plums, and grapes, are all selected, and the trees and vines 

 trained under the rules that book-knowledge, derived from experience and 

 science, fruits out. The result of such training is made manifest in the su- 

 periority of the fruits produced ; and may serve as a practical hint, that not 

 only Horticulture, but Agriculture, in all its branches, may be greatly im- 

 proved by the application of rules, based upon the same lights of experi- 

 ence and science. 



The garden of Mr. Howard, although presenting a fine variety of grapes, 

 pears, and plums, is more to be distinguished for its number and variety of 

 peaches. Here are peach trees that have been twelve years standing, and 

 were brought from New York, and set at three years old, making the age 

 of the trees fifteen years. They have borne more or less fruit every year 

 since they were set except the first, and are now bending to the ground under 

 the burden of their delicious products. Although the peach has been regard- 

 ed as unsuiled to our climate, and most experiments have failed to produce 

 it here, yet in this garden, under the care and attention of Mr. Howard's 

 own hand, may be seen from twenty to twenty-five bushels of this rare fruit, 

 ripe, and ripening. The trees stand in a southern exposure, and are pro- 

 tected from the north and west winds by the garden wall and buildings. 

 Every year they have been attacked by the peach-borer ; but this insect has 

 been carefully cut out with the knife and destroyed. The arbors, trellises, 

 and walls around this garden are covered with luxuriant vines, hung with 

 rich and fragrant clusters of grapes. Grapes are easily cultivated, and form 

 the greatest luxury in the whole catalogue of fruits ; and no man who has 

 a square rod of ground unoccupied by buildings, should be without them. 



Mr. Pomeroy has a fine variety of pears and grapes. Among his pears, 



