126 Editors Letter- Box. 



cept when highly forced or planted late. We have never seen a decayed speci- 

 men among those we raised on a dry soil. It yields largely : we know of none 

 that gives a better. Whether it is worth while for every farmer to pay the pres- 

 ent price for it, we cannot say ; but will say, that, if we had not got it, we should 

 pay even a higher price, rather than not have it. It is early. We planted the 

 Early Rose, Goodrich Early, Harrison, Orono, and Vanderveer's Seedling, side 

 by side, the same day, all having the same treatment ; and the stalks of the Early 

 Rose were three inclies high before either of the others showed their noses. 

 They ripened much earlier than either of the others. The Goodrich Early is 

 almost a late variety compared with the Rose. 



Orchardist, Conn. — How can I best start quince-cuttings ? What is the 

 best variety ? I have concluded to set out a lot of bushes to raise fruit for the 

 market. — The quince strikes quite freely. Let the cuttings be about ten or 

 twelve inches long, and j3ut them down two-thirds of their length into the ground. 

 Let the soil be moist (not wet), and well prepared. It may be enriched, but not 

 with dressing that will heat. Treat them pretty much as you would currant-cut- 

 tings. The apple-quince is by far the best. It is tenderer when cooked than 

 any other. 



G. C, New Haven, Conn. — What dressing shall I use on my lawn ? — .-Vshes 

 is the best thing, if you have not got very fine stable-manure. There are some 

 advantages in using a manure that does not have mixed with it more or less 

 weed-seed. Superphospate and guano are good, but rather expensive ; though 

 we should not advise the constant use of the latter. 



Fruit-Grower, Providence, R.I. — What is the best season of the year for 

 cutting scions ? When shall I graft my cherry-trees ? Should pear-trees be 

 grafted as early as the cherry t Is there a better way than cleft- grafting 1 — You 

 can cut your scions any time ; now ; the sooner the better, if you take good care 

 of them after they are cut : keep them in a damp place away trom the frost. 

 Graft your cherry-trees in March. They do much better when grafted early. 

 Pear-trees will bear to be grafted later ; though we like to graft pears rather 

 early, say in April. No better way than cleft-grafting for large stocks : for 

 small trees, we should prefer splice or whip grafting. 



Novice, Bloomington, 111. — In my garden are several pear-trees that I pur- 

 chased of a peddler a few years ago ; and they are constantly throwing up sprouts, 

 or suckers. What is the cause of it ? What shall I do with them ? — They are 

 probably worked on sucker-stocks ; that is, the stocks on which they were budded 

 or grafted were themselves suckers. Sometimes seedling-trees will do this, 

 especially when the roots are cut or broken off. Trees that sucker up badly are 

 a nuisance in one's grounds. We have dug up a few that were inclined that 

 way, preferring to lose them altogether rather than be annoyed by the suckers. 

 Such trees never seem to bear so much or so good fruit ; for they exhaust them- 

 selves to some extent in throwing up tliese shoots. 



