1850. 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



167 





The winter prunhig of pyramid pear trees is almost reduced 

 10 a mechanical operation, when the summer management 

 has been properly attended to. Keeping the tapering form 

 in view it consists in cutting each shoot a little shorter than 

 the one immediately below it, taking care to cut a bud sita- 

 ated on the side of the shoot towards that direction in which 

 it would be most desirable the prolongation should proceed. 

 Shoots that are too vigorous for the rest are not cut to a bud 

 on the upper side, but to one situated below. 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE SECOND CONGRESS OF 

 FRUIT GROWERS. 



The late, unseasonable period at which the report 

 of these proceedings has appeared, and the near ap- 

 proach of another meeting of the Congress, render a 

 minute review at this time, of little use. A list of 

 the fruits adopted, or recomnicnded for general culti- 

 vation, has already been published in the Farmer, so 

 that we shall at present extract only a few items of 

 general interest to fruit growers, at all seasons. 

 Last season was highly unfavorable throughout a 

 great portion of the country, for the preparation of 

 pomological reports, consequently but few were pre- 

 sented, and these were rather meagre in their con- 

 tents. We shall notice only a few of the most inter- 

 esting points. 



Pennsylvania. — The committee of this State, in 

 their report, notice si.x native apples and twenty 

 native pears of merit, and some of which are already 

 known to be first rate. Among the pears we find 

 the Seckel, Tyson, Washington, and Petre ;' all the 

 rest are new or very little known. They state that 

 the Grai/ and White Doyenne, both of which here 

 can not be surpassed, are utterly worthless, unless in 

 towns, where they still do well. " maturing fruit of 

 beautiful appearance and excellent quality." The 

 market raspberry of Philadelphia they state to be the 

 " Genesee," our spu7-ious Red Anticerp. The true 

 Jlnlwerp requires protection. 



New York. — The only report from this State is 

 by B. Hodge, Esq., of Buffalo, consisting of lists of 

 about thirty apples, thirty pears, twenty cherries, 

 fifteen plums, and twelve peaches, which he consid- 

 ers the best for Western New York. Mr. Hodge 

 says that the Brown Beurre and Bezy de la Matte, 

 (both of which are worthless in many localities,) are 

 superior to three-fourths of the varieties in cultiva- 

 tion, very productive, and of good flavor. At Phila- 

 delphia the Bezy de la Motle is an outcast ; and at 

 best we consider it uncertain. The Brown Beurre 

 does finely here. 



Massachusetts. — The committee of this Slate 

 simply reported lists of fruits to be placed upon both 

 the approved and rejected lists. Tlie approved sorts 

 were all added to the recommended lists of the Con- 

 gress. The rejected varieties consisted of about 

 one hundred and twenty pears and ten apples, very 

 few of which have ever been known or cultivated to 

 any considerable extent. 



Vermont. — The report from this State is made by 

 C. Goodrich, Esq., of Burlington. He states that 

 the Ribston Pippin and English apples generally 

 i]ourish well, and also the Canada sorts St. Laio- 

 rence, Ponime Gris, and Bovrassa. The Esoptis 

 Spitzcnbvrg is apt to be spotted, and for that climate 

 is not equal to tin; Baldwin, Hubbardson JVonsxicli, 

 R. I. Giteening, and Roxbxiry Russet. Among 

 pears, the Jfliite Doyenne is always fine and the 

 trees healthy. Dearborn's Seedling is considered 

 the best summer pear. 



Connecticut. — The report from this State is quite 

 comprehensive, treating of all the fruits cultivated 

 there except apples, the report on which is deferred 

 till another year. It appears that, excepting a few 

 drawbacks, all sorts of fruit succeed there very well. 

 The Antwerp raspberries are too tender, and goose- 

 berries are liable to mildew. Peaches are so atiected 

 with the yellows, that in many cases they do not live 

 to a bearing age ; and if they bear at all, only for 

 one or two seasons. Mr. Downing, the chairman 

 of the general fruit committee, adds the following 

 note to this part of the report : 



•' The explanation of tire great prevalence of tlie yetinws 

 in Connecticut lies, we imagine, in the fact of the largo in- 

 troduction, of later years, of. unhealthy trees bought indis- 

 criminately in the markets of New York. A little nlteution 

 to destroying every tree already atTectcd, and introducing 

 those of hc.ilthy constitution from other districts, will very 

 soon result in tlie production of the Ilnest fruit again, as has 

 been abundantly proved in many parts of the State of New 

 York." 



Much attention, seems to be given to the pear cul- 

 ture. A large number of seedlings have been origi- 

 nated in New Haven and neighboring towns, among 

 which the Calhoun, Howell, Citron, Dallas, Henri- 

 etta, Elizabeth, Sic, are spoken of as being nearly 

 first rate. The " White Doyenne" is noted " not 

 good." The committee remarks that, "Quince 

 stocks for pears, especially for the garden, are com- 

 ing very much into favor. The fruit appears to be 

 fairer, handsomer, and better than when upon pear 

 stocks. Pear trees with us appear to be entirely 

 exempt from disease." Apricots are in all cases 

 trained to some building, and have been observed on 

 the north, south and east sides, doing well in each 

 aspect. 



Maine. — According to the report of the committee, 

 the people of this State are but beginning to turn 

 their attention, in a general way, to fruit culture. 

 The apple, plum, and gooseberry, succeed well, the 

 latter particularly — better than in any other State 

 in the Union ; the cool northern climate suits its 

 constitution. The quince has only been known to 

 succeed on the banks of the Kennebec. The peach 

 proves a failure in the open ground. 



Ohio. — The scarcity of fruit there, as elsewhere, 

 last season, prevented the committee of this State 

 from making a general report ; but Mr. McTntosh 

 of Cleveland, reports on his own responsibility a list 

 of about twenty apples, fifteen pears, fourteen cher- 

 ries, a dozen peaches, half a dozen plums, ?4c., that 

 succeed well. With very few exceptions, they are 

 all on the list recommended by the Congress. 



Missouri. — The committee of this State report a 

 very destructive prevalence of the pear blight — so 

 much so, that they fear it will not leave a tree living 

 in the country. Our best keeping apples, such as 

 Greening, Jonathan, Roxbury Russet, &c., are there 

 fall apple.s, owing to the difference of climate. The 

 three best apples, one for each season, they state to 

 be Early Red Margaret, Rambo, and Raiole's 

 Janet. The best grape they have yet tested for wine, 

 is the Catawba. Peaches do well. Plums are short 

 lived. Duke and Morello cherries succeed well, but 

 the free-growing sorts are short lived. The quince 

 succeeds poorly. 



Iowa. — In this new State horticulture is taking 

 root vigorou.slv ; two Horticultural Societies are 

 already founded. Apples are grown in perfection ; 

 peaches very uncertain ; only the hardiest cherries 



