GEXKSER VALLRT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY— PANSTES IN POT? 



93 



f, and good; is most esteemed for culinary pur- 

 ls; is a strong heavy grower. 

 'sopiM Spitzenburgh. — This old and truly popu- 

 ruit maiutains its old reputation, and is A No. 1 

 I collections; it is a better bearer hero than in 

 Tork, sokloni fails of producing a good crop of 

 most lu,scious fruits; it does not keep well longer 

 December to January, but is not keeping as well 

 season. 



raits grown West vary so much, and are so differ- 

 in appearance, that their best friends in many in- 

 ;es do not recognise them. Most fruits grown 

 ur prairie soils are blotched all-over with dark 

 ds of rust, or fungus, which makes them appear 

 fferent from specimens of the same variety grown 

 he openings, that one would hardly believe them 

 ;the same; these spots are more common in sea- 

 when we have frequent showers, immediately fol- 

 d by a hot scorching sun, and are supposed by 

 to be caused by the sun striking the fruit while 

 s of rain are yet on them. I am not aware that 

 pots above alluded to affect in any way the quali- 

 ' the fruit, but it gives a very bad appearance. 

 3 varieties are more affected in this way than 

 rs; the early fruits generally escape. Our pros- 

 i now are very flattering for a good crop of fruit 

 year; most of our bearing trees are literally 

 red with blossom buda We among others are 

 anxious to have a fruit season. There are about 

 varieties of pears in our vicinity which will bear 

 fear if favorable, and we have some curiosity to 

 :hem by word of mouth. 



Tours truly, 

 UTH Bend, Indiana. Wm. H. Loomis. 



BEaiESEE VALLEY HOHTICTTLTTJEAL SOCIETY. 



IE annual meeting of this Society was held at the 

 Tvisors' Room in the Court House in this city, 

 aturday, February 10th. There was a fair at- 

 ance of members. The following officers for the 

 ;nt year were elected : 

 resident — Wm. A. Reynolds. 

 ice Presidents — H. N. Langwortht, D. C. 

 ENLEAF, N. Haywood, J.no. P. Bcsh, Jas. Upton, 

 RowE. 



irresponding Secretary — H. E. Hookee. 

 ecurding Secretary — Jas. Vick, Jr. 

 'reasurer — Jas. H. Watts. 

 tie following committees were appointed : 

 n Floivers. — Messrs. C. J. Rvan, J. A. Eastman, 

 )onallan, J. Salter, Wm. Webster, C. F. Van 

 rn, Jos. Frost. 



I'n Vegetables. — Messrs. Jas. Vick, Jr., J. P. Fogg, 

 S'. Langworthy, and H. E. Hooker. 



On Botany. — Messrs. P. Cooney, P. Trentman. 



On Fruits. — il. J. Thomas, H. P. Norton, A. Fin- 

 ney, P. Barry, Edwd. Frost, L. A. Ward, C. Powers, 

 Geo. Ellwanger, II. E. Hooker, Selah Matthews. 



Executive Committee. — President, 1st. Vice Presi- 

 dent, and the chairman of the several standing com- 

 mittees. 



PANSIES m POTS. 



My cold frames are again becoming gay with these 

 delightful spring flowers. Those who have never 

 tried to cultivate the pansy in this way, have little 

 idea what a profusion of really gay flowers is produc- 

 ed by this plant during the whole of the early months; 

 and with proper attention they will blossom in good 

 character till the latter part of May. As regards 

 cultivation, little need be said ; for the pansy is not 

 difiBcult to manage. Plants for early flowering sliould 

 be potted up from the open ground in October. If 

 the weather is open in tlie last week in January, or 

 the first week in February, begin to re-pot generally, 

 using soil consisting of good decomposed turfy loam, 

 rotten manure, a little leaf-mould, and coarse sand, 

 the latter in proportion to the nature of the loam. 

 The soil should not be pressed hard with the hand ; 

 no water should be given for a day or two after pot- 

 ting. Before, as well as after this operation, the 

 plants must be kept well up to the glass. They 

 should have from two to six shoots, or strong leaders; 

 and to keep them to these chosen shoots, a number 

 of small ones must from time to time be removed. 

 These cuttings answer the double purpose of slrengtli- 

 ening the main shoot?, and producing a stock of 

 young plants which will supply the place of the old 

 ones when worn out. Keep the frames in which they 

 are placed open whenever the weather is favorable, 

 pulling the lights back or tilting them up; maintain 

 the plants in a growing state by watering them as of- 

 ten as they require it, going over them for this pijr- 

 pose every day. Plants that have several shoots 

 should be tied into shape, placing the centre-branch 

 upright in tlie middle, and the remainder at equal 

 distances all round ; but the plant must be shaped 

 according to the number of shoots : three leading 

 branches are sufficient if cut l)loouis only are requir- 

 ed. Another advantage is, that the same plants, from 

 the succession of bloom they produce, will answer 

 the double purpose of exhibiting in pots or stands of 

 cut flowers. Aftei- the potting, iis above reconmien- 

 ded, has taken place, take the earliest opportunity at 

 which the ground is in a fit state, to plant out any 

 stock not required to bloom under glass, or plants 

 that have been wintered in stores, &c., which will 

 bloom through May or June, and produce a stock of 

 good healthy cuttings. By following the simple and 

 inexpensive treatment just recommended, I am sure 

 that those who take the little trouble that it entails 

 will not fail to be gratified by a fine display of bloom, 

 which, from its long continuance, will most certainly 

 afford much gratification. — T., in Gardeners' Chrun. 



The horticulturists of Paris have succe(>dt,d by ar- 

 tificial crossings in obtaining a natural ruse of blue 

 color, which is the fourth color obtained by artificial 

 means. -^ 



