1819. 



THE GENESEE PARMER. 



49 



HORTICULTURAL I ;EPARTMENT. 



EDITEP T'.Y p BARRY 



We are happy to hear from all parts of tlic Union 

 the cultivation of fruits is attracting universal 

 in. North and south] oust and west, almost 

 . individual who owns a lot of ground is alive 

 i n the subject, The emigrant who goes to* the far 

 would rather go without money than without 

 trees ; and it is a noble idea, for what hotter monu- 

 ment could a man erect than the planting of a tree ? 



The question will naturally arise, how did such a 

 sudden change come about ? The Horticultural pub- 

 lications of the day will answer this question, and 

 among them we will mention some of those which 

 have been most active in the battle — "Downing's 

 Fruit and Fruit Trees of America," "Hovey's Fruits 

 of America," " Kenrick*s American Orchardist," 

 ■• Thomas' Fruit Culturist ;" and among the monthly 

 publications, "The Magazine of Horticulture," "The 

 Horticulturist," the Albany and Boston Cultivators, 

 and "Prairie Farmer." These publications have been 

 and are continually passing through this vast coun- 

 try, like mighty engines, "clearing the way" of 

 superstition and ignorance, and scattering broad-cast 

 the choicest fruits in every direction ; so that an indi- 

 vidual who was but three or four years ago satisfied 

 with a Choke Pear, a Sour Crab Jlpple, and a Fox 

 Grape, will now have his Swan's Orange, Bartlett, 

 Seckel, and White Doyenne Pears ; Early Joe, Melon, 

 and Northern Spy Apples ; Black Hamburgh and 

 Royal Muscadine Grapes, &,c, &c. 



In this great struggle for improvement the Gene- 

 see Farmer has not been an " idle spectator." — 

 Every important advancement of Horticulture has 

 been timely and duly noticed in its pages ; and the 

 choicest fruits have been figured and described^— par- 

 ticularly our native varieties. In taking a retrospec- 

 tive glance of our past labors, however, we feel 

 ible that we have done but little. This is an age 

 of improvement, and we shall endeavor to keep pace 

 with its advancement. 



The horticultural exhibitions have also been instru- 

 mental in bringing about this great changes ; and our 

 Pomological Conventions, with leaders of the first 

 talent and experience in the land, what may we not 

 expect them to accomplish ? The interest manifested 

 at the first general Pomological Convention ever 

 held in this country, (in Buffalo,) gives us reason to 

 hope that the spirit which moves the mass (somewhat 

 similar to the great political excitement in times past,) 

 will be exhibited at our future Conventions. Where 

 and how could an intelligent individual spend a day 

 or week more interestingly and profitably than among 

 a choice collection of fruits, and a combination of 

 talent only to be met with at such gatherings ? 



Another cause, and not the least, is the profit 

 arising from the sale of fruits. The many articles 

 which have appeared the past year in the public prints 

 will be ample demonstration on this point, and there- 

 fore we forbear further comments. It will be seen, 

 in a communication from the Editor, that there is an 

 unfailing market for good fruits in England. If poor 

 apples sell readily for 3 and 6 cents each, what may 

 we not expect of choice varieties, such as the North- 

 ern Spy, Roxburry Russet, Esopus Spitzenburgh, 

 Swaar, Pomme Gris, fcc, he 1 



EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE FARMER. 



-'■ ason in England — Flowers, Sec. — American '< 



in Europe — French Peart in London Market — Vi^eiabh 



ami /., ,;., Markets — Show of Smtthfield Club, embracing 



Fat Cattle, Field Roots, Implements, Sec., Sfc. — Gutta 



■ ! ui — Glass Mil/. Fans, fyc. 



London, Dec. 14, 1848. 

 My Dear Sir: — As tin- Europa sails to-morrow 

 from Liverpool, I thought I would Bend you a short 

 gossip touching a few of the more interesting matters 

 thai have caught my attention since I arrived in 

 England. 



The winter, so far, has been remarkably mild. — 

 The lawns are as bright and green as ours in the 

 middle of May, and the gardens are yet gay with 

 Roses, Chrysanthemums and Laurustinus, and other 

 flowers. I am delighted, at every step I take, with 

 the profusion of evergreens that fill up every little 

 space throughout the cities. Laurels, Bays, Yews, 

 Cypresses, Aucubas, Hollies, Junipers, Rhododen- 

 drons, Ivys, &c, clothe every wall and door yard 

 with a verdure as fresh and luxuriant as we could 

 hope for in the month of June. This is some com- 

 pensation for the muddy streets and rainy, murky 

 weather that continually prevails. I have not seen 

 the sun half a dozen times since I have been here, 

 and then only glimmering through a fog. I eat 

 breakfast at eight in the morning, by candle-light, 

 and dine at four in the afternoon by candle-light ; we 

 are hardly aware of its being day, till night returns 

 again. It takes three or four days to accomplish the 

 work of one. 



Large quantities of American apples have been 

 brought into Liverpool recently, but the most of them 

 have been of indifferent quality, and badly gathered 

 and picked, and hence they do not command high 

 prices, nor do us any credit, — nor can the shippers 

 gain by the operation. There is an unfailing market 

 here for our orchard products, but to make the ship- 

 ment of them profitable, it is absolutely necessary 

 that select varieties be sent, that they be carefully 

 hand-picked and packed in the best manner. One 

 barrel will then sell for as much as three or four ; 

 and the frieght, which is the great item, will be no 

 more on a barrel that will sell more readily for $5, 

 than one that will bring only $2. Many of the 

 apples I see here cried up as " nice American apples," 

 "beautiful American apples," fcc, would scarcely 

 sell at all in our market, yet they are sold here at 3 

 to 6 cents each. 



The English people have fairly given up growing 

 apples for market, unless it be Codlins, he, that 

 come in early for cooking, and Beaufins, he, lor 

 drying. They see it will be impossible for them to 

 compete with American orchardists. Yesterday I 

 examined two or three hundred varieties in the fruit 

 rooms of the London Horticultural Society, and 

 among them all there was not a single large, clear 

 colored fine looking specimen. One would suppose, 

 at first sight, that they were all wind-falls gathered 

 from under the trees" last August. The Roxburj 

 Russet, Fall Pippin, and Rhode Island Greening, 

 were among the best specimens, and they were not 

 half the size we grow them. The most esteemed 

 varieties pointed out to me by Mr. Thompson, such 

 as Pearson's Plate, Warmsley Pippin, Pomme 

 Royal, (not our Pomme Royal) Golden Harvey, 

 Sturmrr Pippin, he, are small inferior lookiDg 

 things, — in size from that of a small Pomme Gris 



