August 



THE POMOLOGIST. 



lOS 



The Tetofsky, from J. Gould, Beaver Dam, Wis. 



The Totofsky, as the Dutchess of Oldeuburg, is of Russian origin, and is claimed to be a 

 still hardier tree and earlier bearer. In fact, it is said to be no less hardy than most of the 

 crab ap|ile family, while in size, it is 

 much larger, ar.d for most culliuary 

 purposes and the desert much supe- 

 rior. It is a very early apple — ripen- 

 ing some days earlier than the Ked 

 Atsrachan. 



The specimen from which the ac- 

 companying illustration is copied, 

 was recieved from Mr. J. Gould, of 

 Beaver Dam, July 19th, with the re- 

 marlc that it was picked before ripe 

 and not so large as usual on account 

 of the droutli. Of the specimens re. 

 ceived one was quite conical — very 

 unlike in form to the one illustrated. 



Tree stout, hardy and productive 

 and comes into bearing very young. Fruit 

 variable in form — roundish flattened, angu- 

 lar and conical as shown in the speci- 

 mens from Mr. G. Color light, slightly splash- 

 ed with red and tinged with a white bloom; 

 stem short, stout ; basin shallow, in some 

 specimens irregular, ribbed, in others slight- 

 ly so ; core, medium ; seeds medium, plump ; 

 flesh, yeilowish-white, tender, slightly acid ; 

 season, July. Elliott says " the tree is a 

 gross feeder, requiring good soil, and needs 

 but little pruning." Our illustration is 

 copied from one of two specimens by 

 Mr. G. 



ENGRAVIKG FROM MK. MANNING. 



The form and size of the Tetofsky seem to 

 differ very much if we are to take the differ- 

 ent illustrations as true types of the 

 fruit. "In the Report of the Commissioner of 

 Agriculture for 1866, an illustration appears 

 that bears little or no resemblance to the 

 specimens of fruit from Mr. G. Basin very 

 deep and irregular. We also in this connec- 

 tion present a cut sent u.s by Mr. J. M. Man 

 ning, nurseryman, Reading Mass., who has 

 been propagating the apple 'for some years 

 past, still different in both size and form. 



Asparagus in July. — A correspondent of 

 the Country Gentleman says asparagus may 

 be transplanted in July no less successfully 

 than in the spring, by cutting off the top 

 and shortening in the roots to four inches. 



For the Western Pomologlet. 



The Mala Aphis— Hens and Insects. 



Friend Millek:— The past month has 

 been dry and hot — not rain sufBcient to 

 settle the dust that had accumulated in the 

 roads. 



Tliis so immediately fallowing the .heavy 

 and almost incessant Spring rain.s, made the 

 drought more disastrous. The ground in 

 the Spring was broken up when very wet, 

 and in a short time was as compact as if it 

 had not been ploughed. All vegetable 

 growth that requires loose, moist soil has 

 suffered severely. The garden has been 

 neglected — the fields demanding more than 

 usual attention. Strawberries were sairce 

 and of inferior quality — about ten days in 

 advance of the usual season. Blackberries 

 and Raspberries gave, in May, signs of a 

 bounteous crop. Raspberry season is past 

 and no berries canned for future use. 

 Blackberries are now dry on the canes ; 

 recent rains may partially revive them, 

 though their juicy sprightliness can never 

 return. Hence our farmers will have to 

 pass over the winter and .spring without 

 these luxuries. I penned the word " luxury " 

 carefully — to the prudent farmer fruits have 

 almost become things of Hecessity — the 

 healthy substitute for beef and pork. 



Trees transplanted this spring have 

 struggled against the combined attacks of 

 drouth, insects and carelessness, the last 

 being the most noxious foe of man and 

 vegetables. 



A few moments spent at the proper time, 

 in mulching, many trees and many dollars 

 would have been saved to the owner. The 

 " leaf roller " was very troublesome in many 

 orchards in this vicinity. Also the Mala 

 Aphis troubled the'young'shoots of the apple 

 trees, whilst another variety of aphides 

 infest and are doing serious work for cherry 

 trees and weeds. 



It is held by entomologists that insects of 

 the 8;xme species will not work. on vegetable 

 growth of different genera. But here I find 



a species of aphides at work on the tender 

 cherry shoots, and voraciously feeding on 

 the great (Ambrosia trifida) and small {A. 

 Artimisnia folia) rag weeds. Unquestionably 

 these are not of the same genus of plants. 



The Doryphora decern lineata has visited 

 us to a limited extent. About the first of 

 May I found them on \ay Mercer potatoes. 

 Not having the time to destroy the eggs and 

 larvae as fast as they would appear, I resorted 

 to an experiment with good results, at least 

 I found it a labor-saving expedient in a dis- 

 tasteful line of business. 



Temporary coops were arranged at suita- 

 ble distances over the potato plat and hens 

 with their broods were domiciled. The 

 brood had free range — the hens confined 

 until they were weaned from their former 

 roosts. It was amusing to witness the scrutiny 

 izing maneuvers of the bugologists. Young, 

 but adepts instinctively in this line of busi- 

 ness. At the present time I can not find an 

 egg of the insect. The nauseating larvse to 

 human eyes, was appetizing to a hen that 

 had fasted over the period of incubation. 

 I do not recommend this as a sovereign rem- 

 edy for all the ills that bugs may inflict— but 

 am satisfied to know that it saved the plants 

 and concealed from view several sickening 

 "^smashes." Observer. 



Urbana City, Appanoose Co.. Iowa. 



P. S. Corn looks fine — oats and wheat 

 good— straw short. With the exception of 

 fruit, we have the most favorable prospect 

 we have had for several years. 



Fruit in Tama County. — Mr. D. F. Bru- 

 ner of Toledo, writes July 11th. — " Fruit 

 prospects in Tama county poor indeed. Ap- 

 ples and pears very few — cherries scarcely 

 none — strawberries medium crop — plums tol- 

 erably plenty. Blackberries and raspberries 

 are cut short by the drouth. Though no rain 

 of any account since April, my nursery trees 

 are making a good healthy growth. Cut- 

 tings and tree seeds have failed to come to a 

 considerable extent on account of the 

 di (Uith. 



Standard pears, especially the Flemish 

 Beauty, are doing well with me. Dwarfs 

 worthless here unless the quince root is welj 

 piotected by a mound of earth to protect 

 them in winter. 



Marshall Niel Rose. — The Canada^ 

 Farmer declares this beautiful rose one of 

 the hardiest in cultivation. It has been 

 exposod to a temperature of [18 degrees 

 belew zero, without injury. In New Jersey 

 it has passed safely through winter unpro- 

 tected. We should not like to risk it here. 



The Gum-Berry Stock. — Mr. Huide- 

 koper says, in the Horticulturist, that pears 

 grafted on this stock (the Amela?ichier 

 Botryapiam, also called in markets the Indian 

 cherry) are free from the " blight." 



