1871 



THE WESTERN POMOLOGIST. 



147 



Tbe Fameuse, or Saowr, 



In February last we received from Mr. Wm. M. Clemons, of Minerva, Marshall County, a few speci- 

 mens of this apple, which, for beauty, could not be excelled. They were above medium in size, perfecT 

 in form, and so completely over- 

 spread with dark red as to be more 

 black than red ; out of twelve of his 

 most favorite sorts, Mr. C'lemons 

 regards the Fameuse best. So well 

 pleased is he with both tree and 

 fruit, that he ordered seven hun- 

 dred root grafts for his own use, 

 and to be doubly sure of getting the 

 " Simon pure," cut the scions from 

 his own bearing trees. 



The Fameuse appears to be per- 

 fectly adapted to all sections of 

 Iowa. It has everything to recom- 

 mend it ; tree hardy, and fruit- 

 ful, and though not very attractive 

 in the nursery, does well in the 

 orchard. Fruit handsome and of 

 fine quality ; flesh snow-white, ten- 

 der, with slight perfume. In 1867 

 follows : 



Mr. J. L. Budd, ot Shellsburg, wrote to us about the Fameuse as 



"The wonderful adaptation of this truly excellent apple to the open prairies of the strict Northwest, is 

 not so generally known as it should be. All I might say in its praise, would not attract the attention of 

 the prairie farmer, as would a statement of its actual yield of fruit. Eight years ago I set in an orchard 

 of four hundred trees, twenty trees of Siww apple. They were then three years from graft. Last season 

 I gathered from them .leveniy bushels of apples, and sold them at $3 per bushel. The year before I had 

 twenty bushels, the year still before, about five bushels. Almost two hundred dollars worth of fruit from 

 trees so young, and really just beginning to be profitable, surely is better than growing ten cent corn 

 upon the same amount of ground ! And the tree is not onlj' productive, but so far as I know, as hardy 

 as an oak. Last winter when most of the one year old nursery trees in this part of the State were win- 

 ter-killed, the Snmo and Siberian crab alone escaped unharmed. Had all my trees produced fruit like the 

 Snow-apple, and I might add the Jonathan, my income would be truly large. 



With or without windbreaks, in the wildest and bleakest prairie of Iowa, plant Show apple, and trust 

 me, you will thank me some day for this recommendation." 



Ciroiving Uie Cranberry. 



Mr. H. H. Bush, Concord, Hancock County, Iowa, 

 wishes an article on the cultivation of the cran- 

 berry, and says — " I think in this part of the State 

 there is a good deal of bog land suitable for srowing 

 the cranberry, at all events we are anxious to try it." 



No doubt there are thousands of acres of land 

 now comparatively worthless in Iowa, in every es- 

 sential just as well suited to the growth of this ex- 

 cellent fruit, as are the best cranberry lands found 

 in Wisconsin, Minnesota, or New Jersey — States in 

 which its culture has become an important branch 

 of fruit growing, and still receiving increased atten- 

 tion. In the absence of any practical experience of 



our own, we will give such information upon the 

 subject as appears to us reliable. 



In making a cranberry plantation the first and 

 chief point to be considered is the .soil. It should 

 be boggy, marshy, wet land, but susceptible ot 

 drainage by ditching to the depth of eighteen in- 

 ches or more. Means also, for flooding the ground 

 as occasion may require, is essential. This protects 

 the vines and fruit at certain stages of growth from 

 both frost and insects. Both vine and fruit are 

 sometimes attacked by an insect, against the attacks 

 of which there appears to be no remedy but flood- 

 ing. Nevertheless if our correspondent has the right 

 kind of soil, we advise a trial, though it may not 



