1851. 



THE GENESEE FARINIER. 



25 



Trioia-ph de Mcaux — Buff, shaded with salmon. 



Triomph Magdehury — Scarlet, tipped with white 

 — very showy. 



William SedelazcJc — Small and globular, purplish 

 lilac — a wonderfully profuse bloomer. 



Wunder von T'attcndorf — A magnificent show 

 flower, scarlet, shaded with bronze. 



Here we have twenty-five varieties that, taken as 

 free bloomers and good flowers, may be safely recom- 

 mended. We might go on and add twenty-five more, 

 perhaps, as good. Indeed, if some other persons 

 were called on to select twenty-five from the same 

 collection, they would probably select different ones, in 

 many cases. Some are comparatively old, being sev- 

 eral years in cultivation, like Indispensable White, 

 Princess Mice, and Sir E. Antrohus, but we see none, 

 in their way, superior. None are quite new, though 

 several, as Toison d'Or, Princess Radziwill, and 

 some others, are among the first prize dahlias of 1850 

 in England, as will be seen by the list we have given. 



THE PLUM AS A PYRAMIDAL TREE. 



We find the following article, on this subject, in the 

 "Gardener's Chronicle," (London,) no doubt from the 

 pen of Mr. Rivers. We look upon root pruning as 

 destined to be a great aid in adapting trees to small 

 gardens. During the past summer, in August, at a 

 dry time, when growth was nearly suspended, we 

 root-pruned some pyramidal cherry trees that bid fair 

 to exceed the bounds allotted to them. We cut them 

 so short that their leaves flagged, as a pot plant suf- 

 fering from drought ; but we gave them a good water- 

 ing, which set all right. There was no more wood 

 made during the season, but fruit-buds were devel- 

 oped profusely. W^e have served many of our speci- 

 men plum trees the same way, and thus hope not 

 only to hasten their bearing, but greatly diminish the 

 extent of surface which our specimens would other- 

 wise cover. It can be done at any time during the 

 . winter. The article quoted below, explains the ope- 

 ration as clearly as words can do it. 



" The Plum as a Pyramidal Tree. — For some 

 few years I have amused myself by forming my plum 

 trees into pyramids, feeling convinced that no other 

 mode of cultivating our hardy fruits is so eligible for 

 small gardens. I was induced to take extra pains, 

 on account of observing that our neighbours the 

 French, so famous in their cultivation of pyramids, 

 failed to a certain extent with the plum : as their 

 trees, I observed, on being pruned to that shape made 

 too vigorous shoots, and were inclined to gum. They 

 do not know the value of root-pruning, and will not 

 listen to it ; I do, and therefore felt some hope of 

 success. At first I commenced to root-prune once in 

 two or three years, but I soon found that was not 

 enough, for the plum makes roots so rapidly that it is 

 difficult to check it : J have now, therefore, for the 

 last three years root-pruned annually, early in autumn. 

 My success is perfect ; this I have generally done in 

 September, soon alter gathering the fruit, but this 

 year not having any fruit, and awakened by your 

 article on ' Summer Root-Pruning,' given in Gard- 

 eners^ Chronicle in July, I operated on them in Au- 

 gust ; the trees almost immediately went to rest, and 

 are now pictures of forthcoming iVuitfulness. The 

 operation is so simple, that any one may exercise it 

 without any fear of failure. Let me attempt to de- 

 scribe it ; and yet how irksome it is to iiave to employ 

 so many words about what one can tell and do in a few 



minutes. Open a circular trench, 18 inches deep 

 (for the plum does not root deeply) round by one tree 

 18 inches from its stem ; for the first two or three 

 years thiS distance will be enough ; increase the 

 diameter of the circle as years roll on, but very 

 slowly, not more than from 1 to 2 inches in a year, 

 and cut off" every root and fibre with a sharp knife. 

 This operation may be likened to the manner in 

 which old folks talk of the way in which they used 

 to cut the hair of poor workhouse boys, viz., place a 

 basin on the boy's head and trim oft' the hair round 

 its rim — in short, the 'workhouse cut;' then when 

 your roots are so trimed, introduce a spade under one 

 side of the tree and heave it over, so as not to leave 

 a singlG tap root. Fill in the moul^ ; if the weather 

 is dry give the tree a soaking of water, and it is fin- 

 ished. If your soil is poor, give a top-dressing of 

 manure, to be washed in by winter rains. The fol- 

 lowing summer, pinch oS the ends, in June, of any 

 shoots that seem inclined to push more than 4 inches, 

 and thin those out with the knife that are too crowded ; 

 the result will be a handsome and highly prolific pyr- 

 amidal tree. Plums are not yet half appreciated ; for, 

 owing to the introduction of many new and good vari- 

 eties they are in season from July till November, for 

 the dessert and for the kitchen." 



EXHIBITION OF FRUITS. 



An exhibition of Fruits will be held in Rochester, 

 on Saturday, the 11th of January. Specimens can 

 be brought, or sent, to Mr. Fogg's Seed store, on 

 Front street. The opportunity will be excellent 

 for a comparison of all pur best winter varieties ; 

 and as most people, at that season of the year, enjoy 

 comparative leisure, and as the roads will most likely 

 be good, there will be every inducement for all who 

 are interested in fruit culture, to attend. We expect 

 to see visitors and contributors from Buffalo and other 

 n^ghboring towns, and to have a highly interesting 

 time. 



The annual meeting of the State Society, will be 

 held at Albany immediately after, and specimens from 

 our exhibition will be forwarded. James H. Watts, 

 Esq., has kindly volunteered his services to attend to 

 the packing and forwarding of fruits designed to be 

 shown at the exhibition of the State Society. 



AOKNOWLEDaEMBNTS. 



We are indebted to R. G. Pardee, Esq., of Palmyca, for a 

 package of seeds marked '' Polk Squash," one foot long, four 

 inches in diameter, dark green when ripe — very superior. 

 A package of " Hair's New Mammoth Dwarf Marrow Pea ;" 

 and one of " Celery Lettuce." 



—To E. A. McKay, Esq., of Naples, N. Y., for beautiful 

 specimens of the Baily (Sioeei apple, measuring twelve inches 

 in circumference, and of the richest crimson color. The 

 quality, too, is quite equal to the size and beauty. Mr. 

 McKay also sends us a box of Isabella grapes from his vine- 

 yard ; bunches large, fruit well ripened and fine. We visi- 

 ted tliis vineyard last summer and found it in the best possible 

 condition. 



— To W.D. Brinkle, M. D., Philadelphia, for a copy of the 

 Annual Report of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. 



— To Hon. M. P. Wilder, of Boston, chairman of the 

 Jlassachusetts Committee on the Great Industrial Exhibition, 

 for a document containing the regulations for forwarding 

 j articles from that State. 



— To Jesse Storrs, Esq., of Marathon, N. Y., for a box 

 of the Mnnson ^iveet apple, to be presented at the exhibition 

 I on the 11th inst. 



— To W. G. Verplanck, of Geneva, and A. Mackie, of 

 Clyde, for specimens of the Sheldon pear. We shall have 

 something to say of this variety by and by. 



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