18 



THE WESTERN POMOLOGIST. 



1871 



of the Northwest, by the hard winters of 1856 and 

 1857 — Wighting our hopes of raising the favorite vari- 

 eties of our youth— the Greening, Spitzenburg, Bald- 

 win, Yellow Harvest, &c., we then compared notes 

 with new interest and zeal— hoping to gather 

 enough of the fragments of our orchards to "tie to," 

 that we might not drift aimlessly down the horti- 

 cultural stream. 



It is amusing to compare the lists of the best 

 practical men then engaged in the nursery business. 

 By correspondence I procured lists from ten of 

 the best horticulturists of the West, and I believe 

 no one variety was found in all lists, and some 

 found in a majority of lists liave since been thrown 

 out. Many who stay away from these horticultural 

 gatherings, wonder at the continual changing lists 

 \vhich we recommend for trial and sometimes for 

 general cultivation. 



While cutting scions this winter, we found a man 

 with a very flue orchard, of whom we wished to 

 cut Haas from trees we had formerly sold liim. He 

 said he had a very fine, large apple, October to De- 

 cember, worth all the rest in his orchard. He knew 

 not what it was, had never taken it to the fair, had 

 lost his register ; and here let me recommend keep- 

 ing one in the desk and one to carry in the pocket. 

 He would promise me but few cions ; yet I think it 

 will prove to be on^ of our recommended varieties. 

 Now if these amateurs would bring out their 

 choice fruits to the fairs and see if they can not be 

 recognized, it would aid us — not that one tree in 

 one orchard, sound and good, would prove anything 

 unless the fact could be corroborated by other testi- 

 mony. A seedling may appear perfectly hardy, and 

 prove to be of quality sufficient to recommend it, and 

 even take a premium as best, but on dissemination 

 of the cions it may not prove hardy.— There are 

 seasons favorable to the peach ; and when a succes- 

 sion of these occur, a tender tree just planted may 

 put on an outer rough bark that will withstand the 

 heat of winter and spring, and appear hardy— and 

 thus you see we may be deceived when awarding 

 premiums to a new seedling. 



The objects we seek in these annual gatherings is 

 to bring facts and figures together and compare 



notes this year more of failure than success — and 



if by any means we can induce the amateurs to 

 bring their treasures of knowledge, experience and 

 observation to aid us, we may make more rapid ad- 

 vancement than otherwise. That our list of rec- 

 ommended varieties is toe large, we admit ; and yet 

 with the varied tastes and preferences, how can we 

 make them less ? To assort and try to keep from 

 thirty to fifty varieties of apples is more than use- 

 less We want but few of the kinds that will not 

 keep. Harvest apples, or those that will keep till 

 spring, will be found most profitable. With the 

 little we now know, how much less would it have 

 been had there been no Horticultural Societies? 

 Let all come to these meetings. 



For the Western Pomologist. 



Crabs and Apples. 



Bt J. Stauffeb, Lancaster, Pa. 



I was considerably amused with the attempt of 

 Mr. Raymond, to " poke " " Cosmo, " (alias Mr. 

 Pliillips) on the " crab " question, and the facetious 

 remarks of the latter, in having inadvertently stir- 

 red up " a disciple of " crabdom." 



Being also a student of the " Crustacea " includ- 

 ing twelve thousand different species of " crabs " and 

 about sirty tlwusmid. of Lobsters. Well, what has this 

 to do with the subject at issue ? you may ask. — We'll 

 see. We cannot help associating ideas — for names 

 are but the counters of an idea ; now how 

 could I avoid thinking of the manner " crabs are 

 caught " when the words " pole " and " stirring up" 

 are used as well as the word " Crabdom " — this cer- 

 tainly would not beget the idea of ' Vegetable King- 

 dom,' nor pomology ; hence the gentlemen and your- 

 self Mr. Editor, will pardon me for mixing up 

 in this controversy on the ' crab question ' but I 

 mean ' Crabs.' 



You may be aware that those who make it their 

 business to ' catch crabs,' use a long " pole " and in 

 still water not over ten feet deep, can see ' crabdom 

 in motion on the sandy bottom ; the " pole " is used 

 to " stir up" the "crusty" crustracean, in the rear, 

 — indignant at this insult, he turns and grasps the 

 pole; — the fisherman, gives it a slight shake as if af- 

 frighted or in pain, — the irate crab clings the harder, 

 and like a bull dog — holds on till fairly lifted out 

 of the water, when he only lets go, in time to drop 

 into the boat among his silly companions. 



Do you see the point? Keep in good humor Gen- 

 tlemen — discuss and ventilate the subject freely — 

 but Pomologist or Philosopher, " Crab " nor Chris- 

 tian should ever loose his temper. 



CUange In Forest Trees, Spontaneous 

 Generation. 



Mr. Meehau of the Gardeners' Monthly takes 

 the following view of this subject : 



"Since the great fight between the learned men of 

 the British Association last September, as to wheth- 

 er some plants have the power to originate them- 

 selves — or perhaps more correctly, to be orignated 

 without the agency of seed — many papers in both 

 hemispheres are discussing the question with great 

 gravity. It is highly important that when such 

 matters as these are discussed, the facts on which 

 the arguments are based should be undoubted. 



One of our agricultural papers, discussing the 

 question, has the following: "We end by pro- 

 pounding a question When a pine forest is cleared 

 and burned, oaks spring up immediately, though 

 there be no oaks for miles around. Other forests 

 will be succeeded by chestnuts and so on. 



How are the oaks and chestnuts produced ? They 



