1872 The Western Pomologist and Gardener. 61 



accounted for in any other way. The same thing prevailed, over a very large portion of 

 the West and i<outhweat. 



Tlie winter of 1855-6 was one long to lie remembered, in consequence of its intease 

 and long continued coldness, and the devastations of blight the next season. In 1863, 

 although the trees had not made very unusual growth, yet it was continued till late in tha 

 fall. October 23, at night, the mercury stood at 79 ° . During the night a gale of wind 

 blew up from the north, which continued all of the next day, with sun entirely obscured 

 by clouds. The night of the 24th was still and clear ; morning of the 35th, mercury 

 down to 20 ° — a fall in about thirty hours of 59 ° . The season following was one of great 

 severity in the way of blight. Here, as in the former cases, the freezing of the fall, and 

 blight of the next season, arc inseparable as cause and efiect. 



In 1858, when the ground was open, there fell an unusually heavy snow about the 4th 

 or 5th of December, followed on the 10th with a fall in the mercury to 10° below zero, 

 and on the morning of the lllh to 17° below zero. Prom March 23d to the last of the 

 month, the mercury ranged from 80 ° to 87 ° ; 3d day of April, fell to 27 ° —a fall of 60 ° 

 in 48 hours. 5th of April, fell to 22°, and on the 9th to 18°. The season of 1869 was 

 one of considerable blight, doing much damage to the pear trees. Here again, extraordi- 

 nary changes in the temperature, and pear blight arc connected as cause and consequence, 



Octobir, 1869. AV'eather good until about the 20tb, when the wind set in from the north- 

 cast, and about the 23d rain and considerable snow had fallen, with freezing lor several 

 days and nights, the mercury falling on the 2Gth-to 17°, freezing all the apples left on the 

 trees. During the winter mercury never fell lower than 3 ° below zero — not cold enough 

 to hurt either healthy wood or fruit buds. Yet all, or nearly all the peach buds of budded 

 varieties were killed before spring, leaving only the seedlings generally unhurt. From 

 the 10th of April, 1870, to the 14th, the mercury was from 80 ° to 87 ° . The 15th, in 

 the morning, it was down to 24 ° ; 16th, 18 ° , and 17th, 18 ° . Here was a fall of the 

 mercury in twenty-four hours of 60° to 63°. The year of 1870 will be long remem- 

 bered, in consequence of the sad ravages made by Pear Blight. 



Here again we see unmistakably the relations between unusual changes of temperature 

 and pear blight. Aside from these reasons, there has been, as far as we are aware, but lit- 

 tle, if, indeed, any pear blight. Here, then, we have a collection of historical facts, show- 

 ing the inseparable connection between extraordinary changes in the temperature of the 

 weather and blight, running through a series of years from 1844 up to 1870, so clear that 



we think he who denies this connection, must be blind to the force of facts. 



(Continued.) 



The Ifellnn' Belleflon'er,— Its Varied Record. 



This is a large, beautiful and highly flavored apple, in eating condition from November 

 to January. 



There are few apples which have a more varied record in the West, than this — while in 

 some localities and in particular soils it gives entire satisfaction, in other appaiently sim- 

 ilar localities and soils, it is utterly repudiated by those who cultivate it, and is threatened 

 ■with extirpation from the orchard because of its habit of sparse bearing. If it could be 

 made to bear reasonable crops, and these at a reasonable age, all would want it. We pro- 

 pose to offer a few remarks upon these objections : First, its tardiness and sparseness of 

 bearing can, to a very considerable degree, be overcome by either top-grafting it upon a 

 stock different from itself, and that at standard height ; or, if growing upon its own roots, 

 by planting it in land where the sub-soil is different from that where it fails in time and 

 quantity ot fruit. 



This fine apple originated near Burlington, New Jersey. Of the peculiar kind of soil 

 on which it originated, we are not advised, but suppose it to be in accord with New Jer- 

 sey soils generally. There, soils abound more in sand and clay, than in lime and clay. 

 These are facts which should be kept in mind by orchardists when planting Yellow Bellt' 

 fawer. We feel quite confident that this apple will rank among the very finest in the 

 West, if stock and soil are duly appreciated. — Cob. Editor. 



