28o Notes and Gleanings, 



Hybridizing Fruits. — The Rochester Pippin. — In almost everywork 

 on the cultivation of fruits, the method of producing new varieties by hybridiza- 

 tion is described, and cultivators are urged to attempt to raise improved kinds 

 in that way. How much has been done in that line may be judged of by the 

 fact that the writers who give this advice are obliged to refer for illustration of 

 the method, at least as respects the apple and pear, to the experiments of Mr. 

 Knight in the early part of the present century. In this country hybridizing has 

 been practised chiefly on the strawberry, the raspberry, and the grape, but we 

 are glad (as we believe the advice above referred to is sound) to learn from the 

 Country Gentleman, that Mr. Jacob Moore, of Rochester, well known for his 

 success in raising new varieties of the grape, strawberry, etc., has now raised, by 

 cross-fertilization, a new apple of high promise, called the Rochester Pippin. Its 

 parentage is not given, but it is described as having, on the 9th of May, the acid 

 character which it possessed early in winter, so agreeably softened that few 

 apples at this season of the year equal it. This sprightly quality, added to its 

 fine form and fair appearance, will be hkely to render it a desirable sort if the 

 tree proves to be productive and a good grower. The fruit is rather large, 

 roundish oblate, even and regular ; skin greenish yellow, with a broad red cheek 

 when exposed to the sun ; stem rather slender, three fourths of an inch long, 

 set in a wide, smooth, and even cavity ; calyx in a round smooth basin ; flesh 

 yellowish white, tender, somewhat crisp, subacid, approaching acid, and slightly 

 aromatic in flavor. Possesses something of the Newtown Pippin character, and 

 is at least "very good" in the scale of quality. 



Melon Sugar. — In Italy and Hungary, there are, it is said, several large 

 manufactories of melon sugar, and it is believed that the culture of melons for 

 this purpose could be made profitable in this country. The proportion of sac- 

 charine matter in the juice is about seven per cent, while in beets it is only one 

 per cent, more, and the cost of expressing the juice is much greater than from 

 the melons. The matter is worth looking into. We once made a very fine 

 article of sirup from melon juice, but did not carry the experiment further. 



Ru7'al Carolinian. 



A LARGE Vineyard. — One California grape .grower has a vineyard valued 

 at two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. It yields annually from thirty thou- 

 sand dollars to thirty-five thousand dollars' worth of grapes. 



Fruit-growing in Michigan. — The fruit-raiser who takes most of the 

 premiums in western Michigan is a colored man, named Smith, who came from 

 Canada. He first bought four acres of land for fifty cents an acre. He now owns 

 two hundred and forty acres, and has thirty acres in fruit. He expects to sell 

 twenty-four hundred bushels of peaches and apples this year. 



A Caterpillar Raid. — Black caterpillars made their appearance in the 

 bottoms surrounding Memphis, Tenn., early in May, in such numbers as in one 

 instance to stop a train of cars. They destroyed vegetation to a considerable 

 extent. 



