1846.] Fruit and Fruit Trees of Yates County. 281 



sive]y cultivated, and general favorites. The Talman sweeting 

 ranks among the best of our winter sweet apples. The yellow 

 swar is also cultivated and much esteemed. We have the wine 

 apple, which is an excellent fruit, and the Vandervere. There is 

 also an apple much esteemed by many called the cat head, but 

 different from the one described by Downing. Besides which 

 there are several species not mentioned in Downing's work, 

 which are much prized by many. Such as the King apple, dif- 

 ferent from the one named in the Fruits and Fruit Trees of 

 America, of which fine specimens were at the State fair. There 

 is an apple much esteemed in Canandaigua and vicinity, called 

 the Lacker apple. This is a seedling which is said to have ori- 

 ginated in the garden of a Mr. Antis of that village. It is a good 

 keeper, of the medium size, is subacid, and has a very fine flavor. 

 The land-oflSce apple is a favorite with many. This sprung from 

 trees planted by a Mr. Williamson, a Scotchman, and agent for 

 the Poultney estate, who planted them in the vicinity of Bath, 

 Steuben county, from which they have been introduced here. 

 They are of medium size, very smooth, tinged with red on one 

 side, juicy, slightly tart, and keep till May. 



The apple-tree borer (^Saperda bivittata), has made sad havoc, to 

 such an extent as in some places to destroy more than half the 

 trees in a few orchards; however this is among careless farmers 

 who have suffered the insects to prey with impunity upon their 

 trees, while others, by destroying the insect while committing its 

 depredations have preserved their trees without any material 

 injury. 



Of pears, the variety cultivated here is not near so great as it 

 should be — the pear tree with us being more hardy than the 

 apple. The harvest pear, vergalieu, butter, seckle, beurri, dick, 

 brown beurri, bon chretien, and several others which I am unable 

 to name. Our pear trees are little subject to d sease, there being 

 many trees in the county upwards of forty years old, maintaining 

 a youthful freshness and vigor. 



Of the principal varieties of plums cultivated, the first and 

 most numerous are the green and yellow gages, blue gage, blue 



No. VIII. 9 



