187S The Western Pomologist and Gardener. 5Y 



Condition of Peach Buds. — The Ohio Farmer of the 27th ult. says : " Reports which 

 come to us from almost every quarter are unfovorable as to the condition of peach buds. 

 So far as we have been able to learn they are entirely destroyed in Northern Ohio and 

 doubtless are fated all over the State as they have suffered extremely in Kentucky, Dela- 

 ware and other Southern States. A gentleman writing from near Louisville says that 

 they are all killed down there. In Indiana less damage has be^n done and in many sec- 

 tions the buds have entirely escaped injury. We have not heard from the Grand Traverse, 

 Michigan, peach orchards, but we dare venture the assertion that they are in good condi- 

 tion, for failure there is an unlocked for thing. 



The White Thorn for a Pear Stock. — I am experimenting with the White Thorn 

 as a stock for the pear — began three years ago. On the place I bought there were two 

 or three hundred large thorn trees, some of them thirty feet in height and with tops as 

 large as the largest apple tree. I sawed them off properly one spring and graft the new 

 growth the year following. Have thus far tried about fifty varieties; most sorts do no 

 good while I am pleased with others. Any kind would be made to grow however, by 

 double working. Have found five or six sorts that grow very thrifty and shall now 

 commence grafting kinds that don't succeed on the thorn itself, on tliem. Will have sev- 

 eral varieties in bearing next summer. — B. A. Mathews, Knoxmlls, Iowa. 



Apples From Seed. — At a meeting of the Madison, Wisconsin, Horticultural Society 

 Mr. Daniels said, " there was just the same probability the seedling would be identical 

 with any other of thousands of varieties as that it would be identical with the variety 

 from which the seed was taken." To which Mr. McAfee replied and insisted that the 

 analogies in other cases were in favor of the possibility, even probability under favorable 

 circumstances, of the apple exactly reproducing itself from seed. We think if Mr. McAfee 

 lives to see his opinion verified, the " probability" is, that he will die an older man than 

 was Methuselah. 



Cleaning Osage Orange Seed.— A correspondent of the Cincinnati Gazette puts the 

 seed balls into a sack where they are frozen solid. They are then in a warm day opened 

 out and allowed to thaw, when the outside is pared off" nearly to the seed. (If they are 

 sticky and gum the knife, it shows they need more freezing.) With the thumb press the 

 seed out in a bucket with water in it. Take the seed from three or four dozen balls, stir 

 them up in the water and pour off all that float, which are worthless. If the balls have 

 been frozen enough, the seed will come out clean, and will readily slip out by pressure of 

 the thumb. Dry the seed the same as pumpkin seed. 



Fruits in the Boston Market.— The Boston Cultivator of the 10th inst. says : "To 

 pass through Faneuil-Hall Market and witness the display in some of the stalls of unsea- 

 sonable fruits and garden vegetables, is like being tran,syorted to the torrid zone. Cucum- 

 bers, (only $1 each !), rhubarb (2.5c a lb.), radishes (|1.,50 a dozen bunches), spinach ($1.2.5 

 a bush.), Malaga grapes, (75c a lb.) etc., with pears, apples, oranges and bananas, the whole 

 being interspersed with rare bouquets, all on exhibition and for sale, notwithstanding the 

 snow-clad earth outside." 



Leaves vs. The Son. — A writer who evidently knows whereof he affirms, says : " It 

 is a mistake to imagine that the sun must shine on the bunches of grapes in order to ripen 

 them. Nature intended no such thing ; on the contrary it is evident that the vines nat- 

 urally bear their fruit in such a way as to screen it from the sun, and man'is most unwise 

 when he rashly interferes with this intention ; what is wanted is the full exposure of the 

 Uwoes to the sun ; they will prepare the nutriment of the grape— they will feed and nurse 

 it, and eventually rear it up into succulence and lusciousness." 



Peacu Buds in Michigan.— The St. .Joseph Herald of a late date says: We hear from 

 every quarter most encouraging reports of the safety of the peach buds, notwithstanding 

 the sharp frosts. Even such tender varieties as the Crawfords are reported comparatively 

 unhurt. This is most remarkable. This upsets the wise experience of the wisest and 

 proves that all signs may fail in cold as well as a dry time. 



