468 Horticulture in the Old Colony. 



subsoil, and, with a moderate quantity of manure, trees make 

 a vigorous and handsome growth. 



Mr. Washburn's time does not allow but little attention to 

 his garden, and that at leisure moments snatched from his en- 

 gagements at his store : but, enthusiastically fond of the pur- 

 suits of gardening, he has not neglected such opportunities as 

 he could find, to introduce and cultivate many of the finest 

 varieties of fruits, especially of pears. The garden is laid out 

 with a central walk through its entire length, and on each side 

 of this are planted dwarf pears, some trained as pyramidal 

 trees, some as quenouilles, and some as espaliers : and with 

 these Mr. Washburn has tried various experiments, such as 

 inarching the terminal branches of the two trees together, ty- 

 ing down, ringing, &c., in order to hasten the formation 

 of fruit buds. The kinds which we saw in fruit were the 

 Easter Beurre, very large and superior specimens, Le Cure, 

 Fulton, and a few others. Mr. Washburn has a tree which 

 he purchased at auction a few years ago, in Boston, for the 

 Beurre Spence ; it did not bear this year, but, from specimens 

 which he gave us last season, and of which we have a draw- 

 ing, we suspect it will prove the trme variety. As soon as we 

 ascertain this, which we hope to do when the tree fruits again, 

 we shall give a full description, and an outline of this pear, 

 in regard to which there has been so much confusion. 



Mr. Washburn has made use of guano in his Garden, and 

 with the best effect : a pound or so applied to a good sized 

 tree, has produced the best results : to pears upon the quince 

 its effects have been excellent, imparting vigor to the growth 

 of the wood, and swelling off the fruit to a fine size. All the 

 trees were in a flourishing condition, and, in a year or two, 

 Mr. Washburn will be able to procure fruit from a great por- 

 tion of his trees, which embrace all the new and choice sorts. 



Mr. J. B. Fowler'' s Garden^ near the Bay, is a small place, 

 fifty feet wide, and about two hundred long, but we found 

 every inch of room occupied. On the fence on the south side 

 are planted grape vines, which are trained up to a trellis, and 

 for size, we never saw any which could surpass them : some 

 of the clusters of Isabellas weighed thirteen ounces each. Mr. 

 Fowler has them trained on a neat and regular system, taking 

 a horizontal shoot along the bottom of the trellis, and training 



