Notes and Gleanings. 243 



KiNGSESSiNG Pear. — This variety originated near Philadelphia, and is an 

 excellent sort. It is a fruit of good size, rich, and high flavored ; color green. 

 The tree is a vigorous and upright grower. Fruit drops easily. We have 

 found the tree to be quite thrifty and healthy, never having seen the least indi- 

 cation of fire-blight. It will never be a highly-popular market-pear, on account 

 of its lack of color. 



The Tomato and its Varieties. — The great interest which appears to 

 be taken in America in the cultivation of tomatoes, and the numerous varieties 

 mentioned in their garden-publications, suggested to the authorities at Ches- 

 wick that it would be desirable to institute a trial of them here. Accordingly, in 

 the spring of the present year, a large collection of varieties was procured from 

 Messrs. Thorburn & Co. of New York ; Messrs. Barr & Sugden (who obtained a 

 collection from Germany) ; and Messrs. Veitch, Vilmorin, Carter, and Williams. 

 All the varieties were grown and fruited in pots under glass, which has afforded 

 an excellent opportunity of seeing them all in their true character. They were 

 likewise grown in the open air against a south wall, where some of the later 

 varieties, such as the Tomato de Laye, Fiji Island, and Tilden, have not done 

 well this cold season. Grown in pots, the tomato makes a very handsome deco- 

 rative plant ; the cherry, plum, and other small-fruited sorts, especially so. Few 

 plants are more strikingly ornamental in the autumn months than these, when 

 well grown, and laden with their numerous clusters of brilliantly-colored fruits. 



The Round Red To7iiato of Barr & Sugden (Extra Early Red, Thorburn ; 

 Sims's Mammoth, Barr & Sugden) is a few days later than the yellow plum 

 tomato. The fruits are red, roundish, ovate, and smooth, about the size of 

 a Washington plum. It is very prolific. 



T\\& Large Red lialiajz of Barr & Sugden (Orangefield of Williams) is the 

 earliest of the large-fruited sorts. It is very dwarf and prolific, bearing fine 

 fruit within six inches of the ground. The fruits are very large, broad, red, and 

 deeply corrugated, or ribbed. It is an excellent variety, and one of the best in 

 the collection. 



Reyes's Early Prolific of Carter is a tall-growing variety, with the divisions 

 of the leaves larger and fewer in number, and also of a lighter color, than in any 

 of the other sorts. The fruit is medium-sized, roundish, pale-red, slightly cor- 

 rugated, somewhat later than the Orangefield, and very productive. It is alto- 

 gether a first-class variety. 



The Great Mammoth of Barr & Sugden (Large Red Thorburn) has smaller 

 and more finely-cut leaves, with the fruits very similar to those of Grosse rouge 

 hative. 



The Large Red oi Veitch is synonymous with Powell's Prolific. The fruits 

 are medium-sized, roundish, and slightly corrugated ; and the plants are very 

 prolific. 



The New Giant of Barr & Sugden is a very large and coarse late variety. 

 The fruits are red, very deeply corrugated, and irregular. The plant is robust, 

 and not very prolific. 



The Tilden of Thorburn (Red Valencia Cluster) is a very strong-growing 



