THE GENESEE EAKMER. 



89 



have ever seen, were planted upon a rich loam with 

 a stiff clay subsoil, trenched two spades deep, and 

 thorouglily manured with stable manure in the pro- 

 cess of trenching. Tlie roots of the quince do not 

 extend far from the stock — in most cases not more 

 than three or four feet, — but they are exceedingly 

 fibrous, and require a great deal of food, to supply 

 tlie stronger and more luxuriant growth of the ])ear. 

 The trees may be planted eight feet apart. Some 

 plant six or seven feet apart, bat most persons prefer 

 the greater distance. Care should be taken in plant- 

 ing, that the stock as well as the roots of the (luince 

 is covered with earth. The trees should be planted 

 so that the point of union between the pear and 

 quince be at least even with the surface. Deeper 

 planting has the sanction of respectable authority, 

 but I have yet to learn tliat the practice is supported 

 by any experience which will justify its adoption. 



The trees should be well manured every year. 

 The best manure for this purpose is stable manure, 

 well decomposed; and this should be applied and 

 well mixed witli the earth, late in the fall or early 

 in the spring. I gave my trees, last sjiring, a mulch- 

 ing of stable manure, two years old, about three 

 inches deep over a space of four feet around each 

 tree, and covered that with a mulching of straw. 

 I found the growth and fruitfulness of the trees 

 much increased by it. I have sometimes used a 

 slight dressing of guano, forked into the earth about 

 the roots, with excellent effect. A thick mulching 

 of straw or other light material is almost as impor- 

 tant as manure. It is an error to suppose that a 

 crop of vegetables may be grown between the rows 

 without injury to the trees. It is far better, in my 

 judgment, to give up the ground wholly to the pear 

 trees ; and then, if tlie earth is kept well stirred and 

 free from weeds, by a liberal use of the hoe or the 

 cultivator during the season of growth, a greater 

 profit will be realized. 



The varieties best adapted to the quince, so fj^r 

 as my observation enaldes me to judge, are, for 

 Summer Pears, the Doyenne cV Ute, Beurre Giffart^ 

 and Brandywine ; for Autumn Pears, the Louise 

 Bonne de Jersey^ Buchesse <Z' Angoideme, Beurre d'' 

 Anjou, Beurre Biel, and White Doyenne'; and for 

 "Winter Pears, the Glout Morceau, Easter Beurre^ 

 and Laicrence. 



The operation of tlnnning the fruit is too often 

 neglected, especially by tlie inexperienced. "When 

 a dwarf tree is well established, it will set twice or 

 three times as much fruit as ought to be suffered to 

 mature. After tlie fruit has become fairly set in the 

 S2>ring, it should be thinned by cutting or pinching 

 out the smaller and inqierfect fruit, and leaving the 

 rest equally distributed over the tree and ujjon the 

 different branches. Tliis is quite a delicate operation, 

 and lilce pruning, to become perfect in it, recpiires 

 much observation and experience. If too much fruit 

 is left to grow, the sjiecimens will be small and some- 

 times without flavor, and the tree will be stinted and 

 exhausted. The quantity to be left must depend 

 very much upon the age and vigor of the tree. — 

 I have known a bushel and more of fine, large sjieei- 

 mens, grown upon a Duchesse d^ Angotileme and 

 upon a Louise Bonne de Jersey eiglit or ten years 

 old, without injury to the tree; but this I consider 

 ■a large crop. If trees of that age average a half- 

 bushel of perfect fruit, the cultivator ought to be 

 satisfied, x. z. 



CULTUEE OF GRAPES IN THE OPEN AIR. v 



TnouGTi not professing to be an adept at Grape 

 growing, but only an amateur, I have been induced 

 to offer myself as a coniftetitor for the paize offered 

 on this subject, thinking that a majority of the 

 readers of the Farmer needed more that information 

 that would teach or induce them to put out, trxiin, 

 and jprnne a few vines for domestic use, than a full 

 and complete system for the management of a vine- 

 yard. And as I am compelled in the stipulation to 

 be brief, I shall only offer a few hints, calculated 

 to induce those who have a home of their own, 

 whether a farm or only a garden, or even a yard, 

 to put out one or more vines, as they have space 

 and means, as a most economical, agreeable, and 

 beautiful manner of occupying a spare nook and 

 corner of the premises. 



Most of the directions in booKS and journals 

 commence by recommending that the ground, if not 

 dry, be thorouglily drained, a southern or eastern 

 inclination, deeply plowed, spaded, or subsoiled, and 

 liighly manured with this that or the other compost. 

 These seeming requirements at the start, I doubt 

 not have detered thousands from enjoying an 

 economical, delicious, ornamental, and easily raised 

 fruit, liable comparatively to few enemies, maladies, 

 and mishaps. I do not object to the above recom- 

 mendations, as by any means improper, but as far 

 as my experience and observation extend, they are 

 no more applicable to the culture of the Grape, than 

 to that of most other fruits, vegetables, and field 

 crops. I have an Isabella, partially shaded by a 

 building, set in dampish ground, never spaded, 

 plowed or mamn*ed, except by an occasional splash 

 with suds, which grows vigorously, bears well, and 

 is a beautiful spectacle. Some of as fine Isabellas 

 as I ever saw were grown under the same circum- 

 stances as to soil and culture, and tlie vine trained 

 on the north side of a barn, where the sun never 

 saw it after 9 A. M., and I have this day visited a 

 vineyard of 100 Isabella vines on the north side of 

 an old apple orchard, and with the ground descend- 

 ing to the north, the Grapes from which were this 

 season sold in Buffalo at the highest price, in com- 

 petion witli those of the same kind from one of the 

 most pojjular vineyards in "Western New York. 



Now, I am far from wisliing to encourage care- 

 lessness, slovenliness, or laziness in Horticulture, 

 Agriculture, or anything else. I doubt not that tlie 

 vines mentioned would have paid well for better 

 ground and better culture ; but I would say to all 

 Avho can, put out some vines, give tliem the best 

 place and the best attention you can consistently 

 with your other duties. Tlie recommendations 

 here quoted are good, but don't neglect planting 

 because you can't comply with the whole list. Give 

 them as good care as yon do your corn, potatoes 

 and wheiit, and I am sure you will never regret 

 having planted them. 



The roots of the Grape run very near the surface, 

 and yon can not dig to mucli depth over them 

 without cutting them ; therefore it is best to fix the 

 ground beforehand, in a manner to keep it perma- 

 nently light. Some say dig a deep, broad hole, and 

 fill in stones, shells, bricks, and bones. This is good 

 as far it goes, and I say put in your old boots and 

 shoes, too ; but don't dig a pit to hold water ; 

 better to dig a hole only big enough for the roots, 

 unless you can drain off the surplus wator.— 



