1847. 



GENESEE FARMER. 



145 



offered as a prize for an insignificant floral nov- 

 elty ? TVue taste, sensible zeal, and every hu- 

 man feeling is outraged by such idiocy. 



Insects. — Give regular attention to the de- 

 struction of the Curculio and other insects. Rub 

 off shoots on the stocks of your recently grafted 

 trees. Tie up weak grafts, buds, and such trees 

 as are inclined to grow crooked. 



Thin the fruit on your trees that may be over- 

 loaded — particularly on dwarf pears. Shorten 

 or remove branches where necessary to preserve, 

 or improve the form and balance of the tree. 



Keep the ground well hoed around all young 

 trees. Never let the weeds or grass get ahead 

 This must be observed in every department of 

 gardening. 



Flower beds should be stii-red once a week, 

 at least, with the rake. This will save much la- 

 bor in weeding and hoeing. 



Box and grass edgings should be kept neat. — 

 Lawns should be frequently mowed, and kept 

 clear of docks, dandelions, and all other weeds. 

 These should be cut below the crown as soon as 

 they appear. 



Don't forget successive plantings of peas, sal- 

 ads, and other vegetables. We have no space 

 for detail. 



ning^s Book of Fruits, yet we are sure but few 

 of our readers have become acquainted with it. 

 Its size, delicious flavor, and the hard-' '- -• -^ r^ 

 thriftiness of the tree, are recommendationb ol 

 no trifling consideration. We copy the follow- 

 ing notice from the Gardner's Chronicle, of a 

 recent date, by Mr. Thompson : 



This originated in the garden of the Comte de Coloma, 

 whence it was obt;iined by Dr. Van Mens in 1800, and must 

 be ranked amongst the lirst-rale Belgian Pears. It is one 

 of*those cultivated in some collections as the Beurre Spcnce, 

 the name which Dr. Van Mons gave in reply to the ques- 

 tion, " which is the best of all Pears ?" The Geurre Diel, 

 Beurre de Capiaumon, and others of less merit, have also 

 been received as the Beurre Spence ; but all endeavors to 

 find a distinct variety answering the above character have 

 been hitherto unsuccessful. The Urbaniste, however, can 

 •carcely be excelled when obtained in its liighest perfection. 



The flesh is white, exceedingly smooth, melting, sugary, 

 and delicious. In perfection in October. The tree is healthy 

 and vigorous, adapted for a standard, dwarf, or espalier, on 

 either of w hich the fruit is much higher flavored than from 

 a wall. Shoots olive-colored, with few pale grey, somewhat 

 linear specks. Leaves middle-sized, oval, acuminate ; fine- 

 ly serrated ; petioles long and rather slender : stipules lin- 

 ear. Flowers scarcely middle-sized, resembling those of 

 the White Doyenne ; petals oval, tapering to the claw, not 

 touching each other when fully expandedr 



Grown as a standard, the shoots acquire a wavy mode of 

 growth, somewhat like that of the Aston Town. A proper 

 regularity must therefore be maintained by means of ihe 

 knife. It is very distinct from the White Doyenne, or old 

 White Beurre, and yet there are many traces of resemblance 

 which would lead one to believe that it is a descendent from 

 that esteemed variety. The American writers state that 

 their old favorite the Doyenne is more nearly approached by 

 the Urbaniste, than by any other European Fear. 

 Mr. Downing says — 



The Urbaniste is a fruit for which we confidently predict 

 the highest popularity in this country. In its delicious fla- . 

 vor it compares, perhaps, more nearly with the favorite old 

 Doyenne or Virgalieu, than any other fruit, and adds, when 

 in perfection, a delicate perfume, peculiarly its own. Its 

 handsome size and appearance, and remarkably healthy 

 habit, commend it for those districts where, from neglect or 

 bad soil, the Doyenne does not flourish. The tree is a mod- 

 erately vigorous grower, and though it does not begin to 

 bear so early as some of the new varieties, it yields abund- 

 ant and regular crops, and gives every indication of a long- 

 lived, hardy variety. For the orchard or garden in the mid- 

 dle states, therefore, vve consider it indispensable. 



The Urbaniste Pear. 



This excellent pear deserves a prominent place 

 in all choice collections ; and although it has been 

 figured and described in Hovey^s Magazine, 

 Downing's Fruit and Fruit Trees, and Man- 



To Correspondents. 



A. H., Meadville, Pa. We are much obliged fer the sci- 

 ons and specimens of fruit sent. The names are correct. — 

 No. 1, Yellow Newtown Pippin. No. 2, Roman Stem, an 

 excellent apple in New Jersey, where we have seen it much. 

 We have not had it bear in this section yet ; we have a 

 specimen tree that may bear this season. Nos. 3 and 4 are 

 Rhode Island Greening — no difference hut what may often 

 be observed in specimens produced on diflferent sides of the 

 same tree. No. .5, the Seek-no-farlher of this section ; a 

 very fine apple, usually called the Connecticut Seek-no- 

 father. 



The season was too far advanced to send the scions re- 

 quested, as they had not been cut previously. 



J. C, Yates. N. Y. We shall publish, and reply to your 

 "queries" as fully as practicable next month. Your letter 

 was late being received, and you know what a busy month 

 Mf>y is with us. So you will indulge a little. We hope to 

 hear from you often. 



I. S., Fayette, A'. Y. Your apple is too dry and tasteless. 

 In our opinion it would be worthless if it would keep for 

 seven years. 



.1. H. Watt"^, Ef5q. We are much obliged for your splen- 

 did basket of apples — Northern Spy, Red Cheek Pippin, 

 Cooper's Market Apple, &c. They are the finest we have 

 ever seen at this season of the year. 



