Notes and Gleanings. 53 



The Fruit Crop in Missouri. — The past season had been a hard one on 

 fruit growers in this part of Missouri. We have had ahnost no apples, pears, 

 plums, and but few cherries, and about a fourth of a crop of peaches. Grapes 

 did better ; Catawba bore a heavy crop, and ripened well, and were of fine qual- 

 ity ; Hartford Prolific, Concord, Virginia Seedling, Goethe, Salem, Massasoit, 

 Wilder, Agawam, and others, were considerably injured by the frost on the 17th 

 of April, but bore a tolerably fair crop of most excellent fruit. Dracut Amber, 

 Ives's Seedling, Diana, and some others, bore a heavy crop of good fruit. The 

 wine made this season from Catawba, Concord, and Virginia Seedling, promises 

 to be of an excellent quality — in fact, it seems to be of a better quality than any 

 vintage for the past five years. The crop of raspberries — that is, the Doolittle 

 and Miami — was very fine. Strawberries not so good. The wood on all kinds 

 of fruit trees, &c., has ripened very finely this fall ; so we consider the prospect 

 for a fine crop next season very flattering. H. M. V. 



St. Joseph, Mo. 



Cinchona. — It is intended to try the experiment of cultivating the Cinchona, 

 or Peruvian Bark, in California. Successful plantations have already been es- 

 tablished in British India. The Carob tree is also recommended for trial in 

 California. 



Strawberries in Kentucky. — A. D. Webb, Vice President of the Ken- 

 tucky Horticultural Society, says, in the Western Ruralist, — 



" I do not think I exaggerate when I say our soil seems peculiarly adapted 

 to the production of this fruit, probably equal to any. I think this fact was 

 fully demonstrated to every one who attended the meeting of our Farmers' Club, 

 and witnessed the exhibitions made there, from time to time during the season, 

 of berries measuring from four and a half to six inches in circumference, and 

 weighing from one half to one ounce ; these, too, in quantity, without any special 

 culture, or any fertilizer being used. 



" The varieties most popular with us this season were Charles Downing, Ken- 

 tucky, Green Prohfic, French's Seedling, Fillmore, and Russell, in the order 

 named ; all very large and fine. Since the introduction of the three first-named 

 varieties, the old and much esteemed Wilson has been consigned to a back seat 

 by some of our cultivators ; yet it is perhaps a better shipping quality than either 

 of the others, but cannot compete with them in uniform size and appearance. 



" I certainly regard the Kentucky as the handsomest and most attractive berry 

 I ever saw of the light color variety ; good flavor, and very large size. There 

 is certainly a debt of gratitude due Mr. J. S. Downer for originating and intro- 

 ducing the Charles Downing and Kentucky, both of which possess superior 

 qualities, and are decided acquisitions. We have a number of other varie- 

 ties on trial, but it will require another season to test their merits, if they 

 possess any." 



The Iona Grape. — Dr. H. H. Farley, of Union Springs, N. Y., has found 

 the quality of this fine grape much improved by grafting on other strong-growing 

 sorts. Other cultivators have noticed the same effect. 



