1851. 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



230 



experiments with the early and soft fruits, to be continued 

 with other kinds as they come into season. 



In addition to the discovery of a mode of preserving fruit, 

 Mr. Curtis seems also to have succeeded in finding out a 

 process by which such varieties as are difficult to ripen may 

 be brought to perfection — a discovery of almost as much in- 

 terest to cultivators as that by which the season of all vari- 

 cli'?s is so greatly pr(jlongcd and their safe transmission to 

 di.st.uu places secured. 



'J'hat the discoveries of Mr. Curtis are important, and 

 that he is justly entitled to an honorary and pecuniary rec- 

 ompense at the hands of the society as well as that a know- 

 ledge of the process should be, if possilile, procured fcr the 

 use of its members, your committee entertain no doubt, and 

 they believe that it will be but fulfilling some of the objects 

 for which it was instituted, in testifying by .such recompense 

 a proper appreci.ition of the merits and discoveries of Mr. 

 CtKTis. and in procuring for the public the means of avail- 

 ing itself of the advantages to be derived therefrom. 



Undt^r the existing circumstances, however, while tliey 

 wish now to place on record such evidence of the claims of 

 Mr. Curtis as is afforded by this expression of their own 

 opiiiions and statement of facts, your committee are of opin- 

 ion that the final action of the society, in relation to this 

 matter, should yet be delayed until the result of the experi- 

 ments referred to are ascertained, and such further informa- 

 tion witli respect to the expense attending the process and 

 mode of practicing it procured, as will enaiilc them, in view 

 of the benetirial results of which it is capable, the better to 

 recommend, and the society to adopt, such measures in rela- 

 tion to these discoveries as Mr. Curtis seems to deserve and 

 its own interest to demand. W^ith tliese views, your commit- 

 tee ask that the whole subject may be left in their hands, and 

 that further time be allowed to them to consider what action 

 it is proper that the society should take in reference thereto. 



WAYNH COUNTY. 



It is pretty generally known that Wayne is one of 

 the finest fruit growing counties in this State. — 

 Monroe, we thought, stood No. 1, but we confess, 

 that on the whole, Wayne is quite as good. The 

 present season is a pretty good test. In Monroe, 

 except within seven or eight miles of the shores of 

 Ontario, the fruit crop is inferior — peaches fewer, 

 smaller, and poorer than usual, and apples spotted 

 and scabby, as we have never seen them before. 



On the 30th of August we took a drive through a 

 part of Wayne county, as far as Walworth, and 

 were quite surprised to find the peach trees loaded 

 — apples bearing a full average crop, though not as 

 fair as usual. In the orchard of Wm. R. Smith, of 

 Macedon, we found a very large collection of peaches 

 in full bearing. The Tillotsoii was nearly gone, 

 and the Early York, serrate, just in season. Mr. 

 Smith was not at home, but his lady, who, by the 

 way is well versed in pomological matters, conducted 

 us through the grounds and imparted all the in- 

 formation desired. In passing around, Mrs. S. called 

 our attention to a very striking proof that the peach 

 relishes good treatment, one tree stood close to a 

 compost heap, and two more stood in a hog pen, — 

 These three trees were loaded with vigorous young 

 shooLs, large, glossy, deep green foliage, and a fine 

 crop of large ruddy fruit, whilst their neighbors, 

 standing in grass, had feeble shoot.'^, yellowish foli- 

 age, and smaller fruit ; but similar instructive cases 

 may be found in almost every orchard. 



In the adjoining grounds of Joh.n J. Thomas we 

 also found a large collection of peaches, among 

 whicli we were particularly pleased to meet Fay's 

 Early Ann. Mr. Thomas speaks highly of it. It 

 is twice as large as the old Early Ann and ripens 

 about a week later. The tree is a vigorous, good 

 grower, and hence it must prove a valuable sort. — 

 We saw and tasted one or two specimens that re- 



mained on the tree, and from them we formed a high 

 opinion of its merits. We saw a few good specimens 

 of the Tillotson, bat as a general thing they are 

 small and badly affected with mildew, both tree and 

 fruit. When perfect, it is a fine flavored, delicious 

 peach, but so few attain perfection that it is ques- 

 tionable whether it be worthy of cultivation, and es- 

 pecially as the Serrate Early York, a sterling sort 

 every way, ripens nearly as soon. At any rate it 

 should never be planted for profit. 



Having heard much of the extensive orchards and 

 good cultivation of the Messrs. Yeomans, of Wal- 

 worth, we took this occasion to pay them a visit, and 

 we were amply compensated by what we saw. — 

 Walworth is a very small but pretty village, situa- 

 ted on a gentle elevation in the midst of one of the 

 finest agricultural districts in the State. The coun- 

 try for a considerable distance around, is level or 

 getitly undulating, and the view from the village is 

 both extended and beautiful. The streets in and 

 around the village are well planted with trees, prin- 

 cipally sugar maples. They have been well planted 

 and are in a flourishing condition. Ten years hence 

 they will make a little paradise of Walworth, and 

 those who may then be enjoying their shade and 

 shelter will bless Mr. Yeomans, by whose exertions, 

 principally, this timely planting has been done. We 

 could wish nothing better to every village in the 

 country than one such public spirited and tasteful citi- 

 zen as Mr. Yeomans. 



Mr. T. S. Yeomans has a fine young orchard in 

 full bearing. His peath trees, taken altogether, are 

 the finest we have seen this season. The crop is 

 immense. Early Tillotson and Early York were 

 ripe. The former Mr. Y. considers unworthy of 

 cultivation. The latter with him, as with every 

 body, is first rate. He has recently planted an or- 

 chard of dwarf pears on quince stock — 3000 trees — 

 all While Doyenne except about 400 Duches d^An- 

 gouleme. They are planted at ten feet apart. The 

 space between each row is occupied with two rows 

 of corn, and the spaces between the trees in the row 

 with potatoes, so that besides the trees there is a fair 

 crop of other things. A sufficient space has been 

 kept clear about the trees so that they have made 

 excellent growth. They are four years old and just 

 coming into bearing. The ground on which they 

 stand is a substantial loam, well drained and deeply 

 plowed. In three or four years this orchard will be 

 a beautiful sight, and we predict that it will be a 

 profitable investment. 



Mr. Yeomans is at this moment busy draining an- 

 other field and he is doing it thoroughly. It is not 

 what could be called tvet land. It has a fine natural 

 slope and one would suppose at first sight, that drain- 

 ing is unnecessary, but the subsoil is hard and water 

 cannot easily penetrate it, consequently it remains 

 long on the surface, sours the soil, and retards ope- 

 rations in the spring. The drains are made two and 

 a half feet deep, and the drainage material is two 

 inch pipe tile, except in the main drains in which 

 four inch pipe is used. Mr. Yeomans, if we re- 

 member right, informed us that he had spent about 

 $1000 upon draining within a year. His barns, 

 wagons, &;c., are all worthy of notice as models in 

 their way, and illustrative of that active, progressive 

 spirit that should in these days animate every man 

 who assumes the avocation of an agriculturi.st. The 

 system of culture pursued by Mr. Yeomans cannot 

 fail to double or treble the product of his land in a 



