THE CURCULIO. 



97 



the neighborhood of the same age, that I visited the owner to find out the cause. 

 He told me that thirty years ago the ground in this one had had a coat of lime, the 

 others none, and that this was the cause of the difference ; but he could not tell me why 

 the fruit was so much fairer and the crop larger. I asked him if it had generally been 

 used as pasture ground for horses, cows, and hogs, as it was then. He said it had. 



Aug. 17. While detained at the neighboring village of Dover, waiting for 

 the train, I inspected an old apple orchard with broken fences, and where the cattle 

 and other animals grazed without restraint. The fruit here was like that seen yester- 

 day, quite fair. These are suggestive facts. 



Aug. 19. Yesterday was warm and wet, such weather as hurries on the ripening 

 of the fruit. Green Gages, with dry weather, will last in perfection a week or ten 

 days ; but now many of them are cracked, and the wasps and flies find how good they 

 are. The period of nectar that these fine old plums afford will be short this year. After 

 the hard fight with the Curculio it is a disappointment to be able to enjoy them so 

 short a time. In England and other parts of Europe where they have no Curculio, 

 most people know practically what the Green Gage is ; but here the knowledge is 

 confined to the older generation, and with most people it is only a tradition. Almost 

 every one has a standard of excellence in fruit. I have seen a catalogue of the great 

 nursery at Angers in France, in which the Seckel pear was pronounced the best in 

 the world. I have eaten this pear from the original tree in Kingsessing, Pennsylvania, 

 and from other trees equally good. Were it not for the Green Gage I should say 

 that it is not only the best Pear but the best fruit in the world. But though other 

 Pears are not equal in excellence to the Seckel, yet in other respects many have great 

 advantages over it. The same may be said of Plums. There is one that many would 

 pronounce equal to the Green Gage in flavor, and the fruit will ripen in succession 

 for several weeks, and still I cannot find this tree in any of the nurseries I visit. I 

 allude to the Mellen Gage, a native of Hudson, N. Y. I could name thirty other 

 varieties of great excellence, either for flavor and size of fruit or for bearing qualities. 



Aug. 23. Have tried Mfr P.'s Plum trees again for the Curculio and found 

 none, either old or young ; but how the rotten plums did come down ! Several of 

 these trees were the Flushing Gage, and had been very full. What bushels and 

 bushels this gentleman would have had with proper care ! 



Sept. i. Mr. P. told me that he had gathered his plums to-day, "Had 



