438 Notes on Gai'dens and Niirsei^ies. 



Mr. Manning has already noticed, (XII. p. 147,) are now pro- 

 ducing large and fine specimens : as Mr. Manning received 

 permission from Van Mons to name any of the numbered 

 kinds which he received from him, we trust his son will avail 

 himself of the opportunity to do so, not only with these two 

 fine varieties, but with all the numbered ones which may 

 prove worthy of cultivation. Nothing seems more objection- 

 able to us than the dissemination of fruits under numbers in- 

 stead of names. 



Passing a Baldwin apple tree in full bearing, Mr. Manning 

 stated that it was one on which he tried the experiment of 

 changing the bearing year. It is well known that the Bald- 

 win only bears every other year. To obviate this was the 

 object of Mr. Manning; and, in the spring of 1846, he spent 

 nearly two days in cutting oif all the blossoms. It had the 

 desired effect ; this year, the tree is completely loaded with 

 fruit. This experiment is valuable, for it shows that, in a 

 large orchard, when the trees, by chance, nearly all fruit the 

 same year, any number of them can be made to fruit in the 

 alternate year simply by the labor of destroying all the blos- 

 soms. A tree of that delicious apple, the Minister, was full 

 of fruit, and of very fine size ; Mr. Manning thinks that this, 

 as well as the Porter and Williams, only need a good rich 

 soil and high cultivation to make the fruit free from the de- 

 fects which many cultivators complain of in regard to these 

 sorts. 



A great number of apples were in bearing ; but we had not 

 time to examine them. Mr. Manning pointed out an English 

 variety which he thinks a decided acquisition, being about 

 equal to the Porter, of large size, roundish form, and with a 

 pale yellow skin ; it is the Golden Noble. The Garden Royal, 

 a native variety, is also a superior early apple : the last speci- 

 mens had just been gathered; it is deserving a place in the 

 most select collection. 



The trees generally have greatly improved in vigor during 

 tlie last two years ; but the constant cutting of scions has had 

 the tendency to make many sorts unfruitful. Where the trees 

 have had all the young wood taken off, the remaining buds, 

 which ordinarily form fruit spurs, spring into growth, and 

 make very long shoots. A Beurie d'Aremberg was one com- 



