1851. 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



119 j' 



THE FLOWER GARDEN, OR BRECK'S BOOB 

 OF FLOWERS ; in irhich are described all the 

 various Hardy Herbaceous Perennials, Shrubby 

 Plants, and Evergreen Trees, desirable for orna- 

 mental purposes, with Directions for their Culti- 

 Tation. By Joseph Brkck, Seedsman and Florist, 

 and former Editor of the New England and Hor- 

 ticultural Register. Boston: John P. Jewett & 

 Co. 1§51. 



A GLANCE at this book gives us the im- 

 pression that it will be highly acceptable 

 at this moment. For years we have had 

 the question put, " What book can you 

 recommend us fur a guide in the cultiva- 

 tion of ornamental trees and plants ?" 

 We have never been able to give a satis- 

 factory reply, for such information could 

 only be found in the perusal of half a 

 dozen volumes, many of which would be 

 considered too costly by most people. 

 This book of Brf.ck's seems to be just 

 the thing, as far as it goes. It appears to 

 be plain, practical, and concise — much in 

 little, and that little to the point. It is 

 cheap, too, and that is important, because 

 it places it in everybody's reach. It treats 

 of nearly all the popular trees and plants, 

 from the daisy to the cedar of Lebanon, 

 in a way that we think will meet the approval of 

 most people in the country. Our lady friends who 

 are so industriously picking up floral beauties for 

 their gardens, will do well to cultivate an aquaintance 

 soon with Mr. Breck, through his " Book of Flow- 

 • ers." By-and-by, when the busy season is over, we 

 will give it a more attentive examination. In look- 

 ing for a few favorites of our own, to see what Mr. 

 Breck had to say of them, we find a great many 

 omissions not quite pardonable : for instance, among 

 the pines, one of the finest and noblest of them all, 

 the Excelsa, is not mentioned. In speaking of the 

 w^eeping ash, no note is taken of the beautiful Gold 

 barked variety. The graceful Sophora pendula is 

 also forgotten. Among the spruces, Ahies excelsa, 

 the Norway, is called Abies communis ; and the 

 charming new Himmalayan spruce, Abies morinda 

 or Smithii, is not mentioned at all. This we con- 

 sider as really one of the most elegant of all ever- 

 green trees. The European Silver Fir, Picea pecti- 

 nata, is classed erroneously with the spruces, under 

 the name of " Abies pulcherrima of Virgil." Among 

 shrubs, too, we find some of the most beautiful things 

 now under cultivation quite omitted, while many 

 others are described that might as well or better have 

 been left out, according to our taste. 



Pears. — The Louise Bonne de Jersey and Louise 

 Bon d' Arranche pears, Mr. Downing says, are quite 

 different, as he saw them side by side on the tree in 

 the Jardin des Plantes at Paris. We cannot under- 

 stand this, for we have imported trees under both of 

 these names for eight years past, and have always 

 found them the same. They are considered as syn- 

 onvms both in France and England, as far as we are 

 aware, and it is possible that M. Cappe has made a 

 mistake. 



Mr. Downing speaks of the Belle Alliance as 

 being a large and exceedingly beautiful fruit of very 

 good quality, and presenting on the tree, one of tlie 

 finest sights he remembers to have seen in a fruit 

 garden. 



THE WHITE BELLFLOWER APPLE. 

 Bellfleiir Wldle of Downing ; Ortley or White Detroit of 

 Thomas ; Ortley Pippin, White Detroit, Warren Pippin, 

 &LC., of the west. 



This was one of the finest fruits we noticed at the 

 exhibition at Cincinnati last autumn. Specimens 

 were presented in many collections, and all of them 

 were remarkably fine. It is unquestionably a first 

 rate fruit for the west. We brought some specimens 

 home with us, and notwithstanding all the carriage 

 and handling they have passed through, they are at 

 this moment (I5th March) perfectly fresh and sound — 

 flavor as perfect as in January. The annexed out- 

 line is from one of them. Size large. Form conical, 

 generally a little one-sided. Color pale yellow or 

 clear straw color, v/itli a tinge of pink next the sun. 

 Stalk nearly an inch long, slender, and pretty deeply 

 inserted. Calyx closed, in a pretty deep basin, some- 

 times slightly plaited. Flesh white, crisp, juicy, 

 mild sub-acid, rich and fine flavored. To our taste 

 there is nothing superior at this moment. Tree a 

 fair grower, with slender shoots. Nov. to April. 



Agricultural Educatioic in Massachussets. — 

 We are indebted to the Hon. M. P. Wilder, of Mas- 

 sachusets, for a copy of the report of the Conunis- 

 sioner appointed by the Governer and Council of that 

 State, to consider the subject of agricultural schools. 



We find this a valuable and interesting document, 

 containing much information respecting the plans on 

 which the most celebrated of European Agricultural 

 institutions are founded, and their system of instruct- 

 tion, besides the outline of a plan for agricultural 

 education in Massachussetts. 



We are also indebted to the same gentleman for a 

 report of the proceedings of the "Associated Agri- 

 cultural Convention," which met in Boston on the 

 20th of March, to concert measures for the promotion 

 of Agricultural education. The call for this conven- 

 tion was issued by the Norfolk Society, of which Mr. 

 Wilder is the President. Massachussetts is deter- 

 mined to be foremost in this great work. Our "Em- 

 pire State" is asleep on this subject. 



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