96 



THE GEKESEE FARMER. 



High Uush Cranberry — Medlar— Berbberrt — Blue- 

 berry—Spanish Chestnut.— (J. W. Helm, Paris, Mo.) 



The High Cranberry ( Vihernum oxycoccus of Pursh, and 

 V. oimlue, B. Americana of Torrey and Gray, and other 

 modern botanists), is a native of the Northern United 

 States and British America. The common Snowball of 

 our gardens {V. opulus. B. roseum,) is closely allied to it, 

 botauieally. 



The High Cranberry is a handsome shrnb, attaining a 

 height of eight or twelve feet, and in its wild state is to 

 be found in woods and borders of fields. It bears clusters 

 of white flowers in June, which are succeeded by red, acid 

 fruit, resembling the Common Cranberry in flavor, for 

 which it is also a good substitute. 



The fi-uit ripens late, and remains upon the bush after 

 the leaves have fallen. 



This plant is well worthy of cultivation, both for orna- 

 ment and for use, and will adapt itself to any good gar- 

 den soil. 



The Medlar {Mespilus Germanica,) is allied to the Cra- 

 ti^tjns or Thorn, Pyrus, the Apple and Pear order, Amel- 

 ancJa'er, the Shadberry or June Berry, and many others. 



The fruit is from an inch to an inch and a half in diam- 

 eter, of a greenish color, which turns to a dull brown 

 when mellow. 



There are several varieties in cultivation, but none of 

 them are really valuable, except, perhaps, for specimen 

 trees. 



The fruit must be left on the tree as long as possible in 

 the fall ; or, if picked too soon, it will afterwards be apt 

 to shrivel. "Spread them singly upon sand, the calyx or 

 open side downwards, and dipping the stalk end in a 

 strong bripe of common salt and water, which is said to 

 check the occurrence of moldiness." They are edible 

 only when just on the point of complete dissolution. 



The tree is somewhat ornamental, and has great num- 

 bers of white flowers in the spring. 



The soil most suitable for it, and its training and prun- 

 ng, should be similar to that of the Pear. 



Berberry, or Barberry {Berberis vidgaris). — This is a 

 beautiful and useful shrub, of which there are several va- 

 rieties in cultivation, and it cannot be too generally 

 planted. We cannot now go into an enumeration of the 

 different varieties, or their respective merits. The Com- 

 mon Red is probably the most valuable for its fruit, which 

 is used for a preserve, for making into jelly, and as an orna- 

 mental pickle. The flowers are a bright yellow, and the 

 bush, both when in blossom and in fruit, is very handsome. 



It prefers a light or gravelly soil, and is of the easiest 

 cultivation, requiring only such pruning as is necessary 

 to keep it in good shape. 



&'(/e6<?«-y.— Several varieties of the Vaccinimn are called 

 Blueberry. They belong to the same natural order as the 

 Huckleberry or Whortleberry. 



The common low Blueberry ( V. Pennsyltanicum,) is a 

 low under-shrub from six to twelve inches in height, 

 growing in dense patches in thickets and pastures, in the 

 Eastern and Middle States and Canada; bearing large, 

 blue, sweet and nutritious berries. We know nothing of 

 its va;M as a cultivated plant, but observe they are adver- 

 tised for sale in some of the catalogues of French nurseries. 



Trees of the Spanish, Chestnut can be obtained here at 

 the nurseries, but the nuts are not kept for sale. 



Morgan Horses. — (Wm. Douglas, C. TF.) These horses- 

 are highly esteemed here, principally for their speed and 

 showy action. jThey make excellent roadsters and carriage 

 horses, but we should think them rather light for farm 

 work, especially where the soil is heavy. We believe the 

 introduction of Morgan blood among the Canadian horses 

 would prove beneficial. You can obtain much informa- 

 tion on the subject, by consulting D. C. Lindslay's work 

 on "Morgan Horses.'' 



The Best Crop for an Old OrcIiard Sod. — (Henrt 

 HoupT, Tompkins Co.^ N. Y.) Oats, or corn, if not too 

 shady for the latter, would do well ; as would potatoes. 

 Spring wheat would not answer. We should piefer a 

 good summer fallow to clean and mellow the land, and 

 then seed it with timothy and clover in August. Buck- 

 wheat would not ripen well, but would answer to be 

 plowed under. Vetches, for soiling, would answer better, 

 perhaps, than anything else. 



Rye as a Green Manure.— (W. S. D., U2>l'^r Tract, Va.) 

 We do not think it is a good practice to sow rye for the 

 purpose of enriching the soil for other cereals. Peas or 

 clover would be much better. 



Tile Machine.— (C. Grant, Kent Co., C. W.) F. M. 

 Matticb, of Buffalo, N. Y., makes an excellent machine 

 for making uuderdraining tiles. 



Cropping Dwarf Pear Orchards. — Is a crop of melons 

 and then one of turnips in the fall, too exhausting on the 

 soil, in a young dwarf pear orchard? The tiees have 

 been planted t\vo years, each year manured and plowed in 

 the spring, tlien planted in melons, one hill in the center 

 between the trees. They are plowed the last time when 

 the vines have nearly covered the ground, and turtiii) seed 

 sown. One hundred feet square, holds one Iniiidred 

 trees, and the two years past it has produced melons 

 enough for a famih^ of eight persons, all we use and some 

 for the neighbors, and in the fall sixty bushels of turnips 

 after being topped. Will you or s.i;me of your cories- 

 pondents please answer through the Fanntir if this course 

 is advisable? It will more than pay the expense of culti- 

 vating the trees. — A. Harrold, iiugar Grove' Farm. 



With the annual manuring and good cultivation which 

 our correspondent gives his orchard ground, we think he 

 may safely crop it as he does; the growth of the trees 

 themselves would soon indicate the propriety or impro- 

 priety of any mode of tillage. After the trees become 

 larger and yield annual crops of fruit, it will no doubt be 

 found best to allow them the exclusive use of the ground 

 without, however, omitting the manure and cultivation. 



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