54 



The Potatoe. — The Orange Tree. 



Vol. XL 



quires judicious management. To insure 

 fruit corresponding to its character, in the 

 Catalogue of the London Horticultural So- 

 ciety, " first size, and first quality," it is ne- 

 cessary to commence the trimming process 

 as early in the season as the best specimens 

 can be distinguished, or the pruning out of 

 half the fruit bearing spurs in the month of 

 March, as recommended by the late Mr. 

 Manning, will contribute to relieve the tree 

 of its overbearing propensity. The French 

 make two varieties of this pear, viz: Passe 

 Colmar gris, and Passe Colmar dore. I 

 have never discovered any difiference in the 

 fruit of these trees, that only which is ex- 

 posed to the sun, having the golden colour 

 alluded to, the beauty of which is some- 

 times with us further enhanced by a red 

 cheek. 



This tree makes long weeping branches, 

 and frequently sets a second crop of fruit, 

 which should always be removed. 



Ripens gradually from November to Feb- 

 ruary, but may be kept later; large and 

 beautiful specimens having been received 

 by me from New-Bedford, as the Colmar d' 

 Hiver, on the 18th day of March. 



Without the adoption of the system of 

 culture here recommended, this variety will 

 generally prove unsatisfactory. 



An inquiry will no doubt arise in the 

 minds of some of your readers, why the 

 Easter Beurre has not found a place in the 

 above list. My answer is, that although we 

 obtain some specimens of first rate excel- 

 lence, yet this variety has generally proved 

 so variable and uncertain that it cannot 

 from our experience at present, be recom- 

 mended for general dissemination. It how- 

 ever succeeds better on the quince. 

 Respectfully yours, 



Marshall P. Wilder. 

 Boston, June 1st, 1846. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



The Potatoe. 



Mr. Editor, — Various as have been the 

 opinions in regard to the blight in the pota- 

 toe, I have been unable to find any thing 

 that has been said in reference to the cause 

 of the disease, that meets the views I have 

 long since taken, which affirm it to be caused 

 by the atmosphere. For the last two years 

 I have made examinations, and found that 

 the sap which circulates freely through mi- 

 nute ramifications of the whole vegetable, 

 contains charcoal, hydrogen and oxygen, 

 and they embrace all the alkalies the vege- 

 table derives from the earth. So long as 

 the tissue of the plant remains unobstructed, 

 the potatoes will be healthy and sound ; but 



when the vessels that percolate the sap 

 through the whole organization of the plant 

 become diseased, they suspend operations, 

 and the stalk turns yellow and dies. 



Now, in my researches 1 have found this 

 to be the case. A large majority of farmers 

 plant their potatoes upon barn-yard manure 

 that has not been properly prepared. The 

 manure contains ammonia which escapes 

 from the hill, and in coming in contact with 

 the heated atmosphere, forms miasmatie par- 

 ticles, extremely poisonous in their nature, 

 and they settle down upon the stalks and 

 leaves of the plant. The moment these 

 particles fall upon the stalks, the sap vessels 

 become paralyzed, and the respiratory organs 

 are impregnated with a foetid substance. In 

 a short time these effluvia mingle with the 

 secretions of the plant, and not until then, 

 does the plant undergo any decomposition 

 whatever. 



In the potatoe these vessels are more 

 easily affected, and consequently a smaller 

 portion of poison will accomplish the work 

 of death. The stalk being diseased, the sap 

 ascends to the poisoned part, receives a por- 

 tion of it, returns with it to the healthy part 

 of the plant, and thus distributes the poison 

 to the tubers, and the whole vegetable be- 

 comes a worthless thing. 



Now the remedy is this: When a farmer 

 sees his potatoe tops thus withering, he 

 should lose no time in mowing them ofF be- 

 low the blight,, and by this means he will 

 save his crop. The experiment has been 

 effectually tested. 



Yours, &c., D. W. Belisle. 



Honesdale, August 7th, 1846. 



The Orange Tree. — Any accident to 

 the Orange tree, would be regarded in Flo- 

 rida as a serious calamity. In 1835, more 

 than ten years ago, they were entirely de- 

 stroyed throughout the State, as well as 

 some of the most hardy frost trees, by a few 

 days of intense cold afler a few weeks of 

 warm and wet weather. The loss which 

 our citizens then sustained is just beginning 

 to be replaced. Extensive groves of this 

 beautiful tree abound throughout the State, 

 and within the last two years they have 

 reached maturity, and generally bear their 

 fruit in abundance. The yield of the orange 

 trees in this section was of more value the 

 last season, than it has been for a number of 

 years. The fruit itself was much larger 

 and of a better quality, and much more 

 abundant, owing to the full maturity of the 

 tree. We look forward to the day when 

 this delicious fruit will be a large item in 

 the exports of the State. — Talahassa Jour- 

 nal. 



