Rochester Commercial Nursery. 483 



and its vicinity ; the Genesee Farmer, one of the first ag- 

 ricultural periodicals established in the state, was published 

 in this city, by our correspondent, Mr. Goodsell, and, although 

 it has successively passed into various hands, it is now one of 

 the most popular journals, and, with our friend Mr. Barry at 

 the head of the horticultural department, continues to be a 

 most valuable auxiliary in spreading a correst taste for hor- 

 ticultural pursuits. Another cause of the deeper interest ex- 

 isting here has been the early establishment of a Horticultu- 

 ral Society, which, though since extinct, did much to cherish 

 a love for the art; subsequently, another association was 

 formed, which now holds its regular exhibitions, and is in a 

 most flourishing condition. Centrally situated as Rochester 

 is, her nurserymen do a thriving business with the east and 

 west, as well as with their Canadian neighbors, and the de- 

 mand, which has been rapidly increasing, has induced the 

 proprietors of the several nurseries to make greater exertions 

 to introduce the finest flowers and fruits. They now hold a 

 prominent place with the most flourishing establishments in 

 the state. 



Rochester Commercial Nursery, Messrs. Bissell, Hooker, 

 c5' Sloane. — The nursery of Messrs. Bissell & Co., is situated 

 on the main street, about a mile east of the city, and contains 

 about thirty acres of land, most favorably situated, being near- 

 ly a perfect level, with a deep and fertile soil. The apple tree 

 is the staple stock of the nurseryman in the west, and Messrs. 

 Bissell & Co. have given their attention mostly to this fruit ; 

 they have an immense quantity of young trees coming in, as 

 also a great stock now ready for the market. Recently, they 

 have given much attention to the pear, and have added most 

 of the new and popular varieties to their collection. But the 

 blight has made such ravages, that it is almost disheartening 

 to cultivators to attempt the culture of the pear here. Mr. 

 Bissell pointed out to us tree after tree, which had been aflect- 

 ed by it the past year, and, in one instance, a whole row of 

 trees upon the quince, imjjortedlast March, which were entire- 

 ly cut oif to the ground ! How will those cultivators, who 

 have been such implicit believers in the frozen sap-blight 

 theory, as detailed by Mr. Beecher, in our Vol. X. p. 441, and 

 subsequently adopted by Mr. Downing, as his theory, reconcile 



