8 The Western Pomologist and Gardener. 1872 



of the finest trees in the North are produced in Badenoch, Inverness-shire. The best of 

 these and perhaps the finest tree of the species in Britain, stands at the west entrance gate 

 on the estate of Belleville. It is fully forty feet high, with a very large, well balanced 

 head, and a handsome trunk, from eight to nine feet in circumference. The tree is indi- 

 genous to the estate, but very likely it had been placed in its present situation by McPher- 

 son, celebrated for his translation of the " Osian," and other Gaelic poems, who purchased 

 and improved the estate towards the end of the last century. The tree afl'ects a cool soil 

 and a moist atmosphere. It attains to the age of many centuries, and in open situations 

 it is seldom attacked by disease." 



1 have quoted the above from John Grigor, simply to answer H. C. E.'s questions, as 

 far as lies in my power, and not that I consider it has much bearing on the question of 

 the value of the Pear on Mountain Ash stock. The most important questions are. First : 

 Is the Mountain Ash stock hardy ? Second ; Will the Pear cion form a pertect union with 

 the Mountain Ash ? Third : Will the Pear Tree on Mountain Ash root remain in a 

 healthy condition, and produce fruit? I will answer these questions by giving my expe- 

 rience, leaving H. 0. R. and your readers to judge for themselves whether there is any- 

 thing gained by working the Pear on Mountain Ash. 



In the autumn of 1848, I purchased a lot of pear trees of F. R. Elliott, of Cleveland, 

 Ohio, then a nurseryman at that place. He is well known to western horticulturists, as 

 the author of Elliott's Fruit Book, and also as the Secretary of the National Pomological As- 

 sociation. Having kept watch of a few of these trees, and noticing that they grew and fruited 

 as well as any I had, either on Pear or Quince stock, and learning from sad experience 

 that the Quince root is not adapted to the West, and will frequently be found dead in the 

 spring, when the Pear tree above ground is uninjured, I tried for several years to call 

 attention to it as being a better stock than the Quince. I wrote to F. R. Elliott, in 1867, 

 asking him if he had kept watch of the trees from the same block mine were taken. He 

 replied that some trees taken from the same lot of budding from which mine were taken, 

 have continued to fruit steadily and arc now healthy. 



Robert Hassel, of Aklerly, Wisconsin, wrote me that he has trees on Pear stock, also on 

 American Mountain Ash stock, var. Flemish Beauty, and that those on Mountain Ash are 

 the healthiest, and fruit best. He also says that the American Mountain Ash is a better 

 stock than the European. With this evidence before me, I thought the stock in question 

 deserved testing, and called attention to it in our catalogue, stating that we had "experi- 

 ence with it, and are convinced that it is a far better stock than the Quince for western 

 soils, being perfectly hardy;" also that "we ofi'er them by the hundred to those desirous of 

 testing them." I am aware of the great responsibility resting on persons who recommend 

 new things in the way of horticulture, and have waited many years hoping that this might 

 be tested by other parties, before bringing it to public notice. Indeed I have sent pack- 

 ages of Mountain Ash seedlings to several friends a few years since, requesting them to 

 make this test, finally coming to the conclusion that this important matter would not be 

 thoroughly tested till the trees were. 



Failure of Frnit Blonsoms—my Theory. 



By a. L. Hatch, Ithaca, Wis. 



Ed. Pomologist and Gabdbner : — In the October number of the Pomologist, there is 

 an article by Mr. Ira Phillips, and also one by Mr. Wm. P. Lippincot, concerning the loss of 

 fruit blossoms by frost. I have a theory concerning it which I will, with your permission, 

 present to your readers. 



From April to the middle of July in 1870, this section of country experienced a severe 

 drowth, unprecedented in commencing so early in the season and enduring so long. 

 Apple trees sufiered severely, especially those heavily cropped. After the middle of July 

 we had plentiful and refreshing showers, and trees put on a good growth which matured 

 well as we luckily had a favorable autumn. 



