No. 145.] . 223 



pheric influences, making the fruit less savory than those from 

 the grafts upon quince stocks. We all know that the roots of 

 the quince naturally extend through the surface soil a little be- 

 low the surface. In our Fruit School our oldest pears, grafted upon 

 seedling p^ar-stocks, are about twenty- four years old; they bear 

 abundantly every year, but are never equal to those on quince 

 stocks. I have noticed a striking difference between the two, in 

 favor of the quince stock, for forty years past. I do not mean to 

 be understood as saying that this is true under all circumstances. 

 Not so; for in very light, warm soils, where quince is never vigo- 

 rous nor lasting, pear stocks ought to be used, and they (the pear 

 stocks) do well in hedges, where they are subject to gales of 

 wind, for they are strongly and deeply rooted. It is said the 

 graft on quince will only last about forty years; but what of that, 

 if it bears tine crops of fruit so long? But we know that some of 

 these have lasted to 150 years of age. We do irreparable injury 

 to the quince stock by digging about it with the spade! JJ. barba- 

 rous treatmctit! Mutilatioji of the roots and spongioles so near the 

 surface. 



EXPERIMENTAL GARDEN:. 



Tomatoes. — We have raised from seed of large, yellow, round 

 tomatoes a tomato of a yellowish cherry red color. 



The Taylor bean — a new one, which we owe to the House of 

 Vilmorin — is a remarkable one. The beans are flat, and of great 

 diameter. They are much sought for in England. 



Mr. Orbelin laid before the members an engraving represent- 

 ing pears, supported on their branches in an inverted position, 

 and he said that this was favorable to the development and quali- 

 ty of the fruit. Messrs. Mason, Orbelin and Jacques were charged 

 with the care of verifying it. 



Mr. Vatteraare announced the receipt of thirty-one packages of 

 seeds of American trees, sent by General MacRey. He also pre- 

 sented copies of letters from Mr. Hannibal Hamlin, chairman of 

 the Committee on Commerce in the United States Senate, showing 

 the advantages of the metrical system of France, and proposing its 



