THE MAGAZINE 



OF 



HORTICULTURE. 



NOVEMBER, 1848. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



Art. 1. Notes of a Visit to several Gardens and Nurseries in 

 Western New York. By the Editor. 



A RECENT visit to the Great State Fair, of the N. Y. Agri- 

 cultural Society, held at Buffalo, in September last, a brief 

 account of which we have already given at p. 453, afforded 

 us an opportunity to visit the gardens and nurseries of several 

 of our friends and correspondents in Western New York. We 

 have long had a desire to see something of this portion of the 

 Empire State, so noted for its fertile soil, and its favorable 

 climate, and considered by many as the finest fruit-growing 

 region — more especially of apples — in the Union. It is scarcely 

 necessary for us to state, that, although we set out with rather 

 high expectations, in but few instances were we disappointed. 

 The season had been fine, the crop abundant, and the speci- 

 mens of fruit generally remarkably fine and handsome. 



Orchard cultivation is not only well understood in Western 

 New York, but it is practically carried out ; it is true, the 

 orchards are young, compared with those of Connecticut or 

 Massachusetts, and, on this account, perhaps, a comparison 

 should not be made. 



The trees are comparatively young, vigorous, and healthy, 

 and in fine condition. But, making all due allowance for this 

 difference in age, we are inclined to believe, that orchards in 

 New York are managed with a greater degree of skill than 

 those in Massachusetts. Certainly, most of the orchards we 

 saw were in a much higher state of culture; the soil kept in 

 good condition by applications of manure, but more particu- 

 larly with the plough, and the aid of green crops ; the trees 



VOL. XIV. — NO. XI. 41 



