134 [Senatk 



But the man, who, during the last forty years, has accomplished 

 more than all the rest of Europe, is the late Dr. Van Mons of Brus- 

 sels, who produced more than eight hundred varieties of pears alone, 

 which are now taking the place of nearly all the old pears of Europe. 



It may be said that we can import Van Mons' new kinds, this has 

 been done to a great extent but not a quarter pait of them ever be- 

 came acclimated. Even when the trees grow well the fruit is often 

 inferior. We therefore ought to think more of one good native 

 variety than of five foreign ones, except where the foreign ones have 

 been thoroughly tested and acclimated. 



But why should we import any thing in the way of fruit trees 1 

 Why not raise from the seed as Van Mons did ? His method was 

 to select those seedlings that were thrifty and had fine glossy thick 

 leaves. A scion was cut from such trees and grafted on a good sized 

 tree, which soon brought the scion into bearing, and thus tested the 

 quality of the fruit. 



It is to be hoped an increased attention will be paid to this 

 interesting subject. 



B. G. BOSWELL. 



Poudrette as a Fertilizer in comparison with other Manures. 

 To THE Farmers' Club of the American Institute: 



The subject of manures having been recently discussed at several 

 of your meetings, induces me to submit.the following communication 

 in relation to poudrette, a manure prepared from night soil, which 

 until within a few years, was wholly unknown in this country. By 

 a reference to the writings ofLiebig, the lectures of J. F. W. Johns- 

 ton, and the "Farmer's Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Rural Affairs," 

 by Cuthbert W. Johnson, (works of great value, recently re-pub- 

 lished in this country,) it will be seen that poudrette, or the manure 

 made from a preparation of night soil, was estimated as one of the 

 most valuable fertilizers in use in Europe, until the partial introduc- 

 tion of guano. 



At page 841 of the Farmer's Encyclopedia, it is said that "night 

 soil is a powerful manure. This valuable fertilizer has not been em- 

 ployed in England to the same extent as on the continent, although 

 it is certainly one of the most valuable of the organic manures." On 

 the next page he says, that " long experience has taught many nations, 

 the value of this manure. In China, it is preserved with the greatest 

 care, mixed with a fat marl, and according to Sir George Staunton, 

 made into cakes, which after being dried in the sun, constitute a re- 

 gular article of traffic between the citizens, and the cultivators of the 



soil." 



Dr. Granville says, that " the cultivation of the vine, is one which 

 require?, in certain arid and mountainous soils a liberal use of human 

 manure." And he further says, after an extensive tour on the con- 

 tinent for the purpose of enquiring into their system of cultivation, 



