334 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



Nov. 



frost from heaving them. Frequent transplanting 

 and chpping the tap-root, improves their thrifti- 

 ness, and grafting upon more matured stock re- 

 veals at once the external characteristics of the 

 tree — its vigor, size of leaf, stockiness, color of 

 shoots, length of joints, &c. These things are im- 

 portant, for it is by them that we form an idea of 

 the prospective character of the fruit, though they 

 ■,'ive us no certain ground for such prognostica- 

 tion. It is purely a matter of observation, liable 

 to much doubt. When we find in a young seed- 

 ling pear some or many of the characteristics 

 possessed by known excellent fruit, we have 

 a right to expect well of it. But what are these 

 signs ? Herein rests the confusion. 



A rapid grower, or great luxuriance, is consid- 

 ered more unfavorable than a moderate grower. 

 Van Mons thought that what he could check in 

 vigor, he might gain in quality of fruit, and to an 

 extent he was right. It is recorded of the Belgi- 

 ans by Gen. Dearborn, that "when tht-ir plants ap- 

 pear, they do not, like us, found their hopes upon 

 individuals exempt from thorns, furnished with 

 large leaves, and remarkable for the size and beau- 

 ty of their wood ; on the contrary, they prefer the 

 most thorny subjects, provided that the thorns are 

 long, and that the plants are furnished with many 

 buds or eyes, placed very near together." This, 

 if true of their theory, is a remarkable fact, unless 

 they were determined to progress their seedlings, 

 (if we may use the term,) rather than avail them- 

 selves of those already advanced, as we sliould 

 suppose the seedlings which they reject would be. 

 Even then it involves a contradiction. That 

 man is considered wise who reaches at a single 

 bound what others acquire by gradation. But 

 v.hat, in foct, is the character of their best seed- 

 ling ti'ees which they (particularly Dr. Van Mens.) 

 have sent out into the world ? Are they not the 

 same as those mentioned above, upon which they 

 could found no favorable hopes ? If then, tlieir 

 trees, and the best of trees, are free from long 

 thorns, have large, soft leaves, straight and beau- 

 tiful wood, &c., why select seedlings with opposite 

 characteristics ? But we were sjjeaking of ra])id 

 growers as not being the most indicative of a good 

 quality of fruit. How many great growers of eery 

 poor fruit have been raised, we have no means of 

 knowing, as very ])oor fiuit is not propagated ; 

 but the Jargonelle, Buffum and Vicar of Wake- 

 field may be mentioned as rapid growers, with 

 fruit of ordinary qualitv. Yet the Seckel, Bonne 

 de Jersey, Rostiezer and Winter Xelis, arc hardly 

 less thrifty, with fruit regarded as unsurpassed. 

 On the contrary, we have tlie Bartlett, the Beurre 

 Bosc, Maria Louise, Belle Lucrative and others, 

 whose fruit is excellent, but whose vigor is com- 

 paratively less. In a word, perhaps it may be 

 safely said, that most of the inferior pears are vig- 

 orous, but that all the vigorous pears are not infe- 

 rior. 



A small, round, tldn leaf, indicates worthless- 

 ness, especially when the growth is thick and 

 scraggy. 



A long, narroio leaf is rather favorable — proba- 

 bly more so than a large, round one. Witness 

 the Winter Nelis and Urbaniste. Both of these 

 fruits, however, we think would be likely to be set 

 aside, if judgment were passed upon them as new 

 seedlings — more especially the slender, erratic 

 Winter Nelis. 



A large Zerj/" is very favorable, Ihe longer the bet- 

 ter. 



Straight, erect shoots is a good omen, and if the 

 joints are short, it is evidence of a good bearer. 



Shoots of a dark yellow or a brown hue are pref- 

 erable to green. 



Bhint spurs indicate better than slender ones. 

 By propagation they disappear. 



But after all, pears of ordinaiy quality are some- 

 times seen with all the favorable characteristics of 

 tree, though we rarely notice any very good ones 

 without most of theiu. In fact, the art of origi- 

 nating good fruit is quite uncertain ; yet it is not 

 without encouragements. By planting seeds from 

 good or the best kinds, and selecting the most fa- 

 vorable and working them upon matured stocks, 

 success is not without hope. 



D. W. LOTHROP. 



West Medford, Sept., 1863. 



Fvr the New England Fanner. 

 OBSTKUCTIOWS IN" DRAIIMS, AiJd HOW 

 TO KEMOVB THEM. 



Mr. Editor :— I have a marsh of some tM'elve 

 acres, through the centre of which runs a small 

 though never failing stream, in an open ditch cut 

 for the purpose. 



In the fall of 18G0, I commenced on one side 

 of the ditch where it enters my land and drained 

 about three acres, the main drain being of 3^-inch 

 pipe tile, with parallel lateral drains of two-inch 

 pipe tile, 40 feet apart, intersecting the main at 

 right angles. 



Much of this three acres, though previously well 

 supplied with open ditches, produced only a coarse 

 water grass, the large wiry roots forming a thick 

 sod of the very coarsest and toughest description; 

 and much of the ground under it so soft that the 

 cattle, walking in the fuiTow, would generally sink 

 above their knees. 



This was ploughed the same fall, the sod being 

 handsomely turned over and rolled down ; in the 

 spring, was sowed liberally with oats, and har- 

 rowed thoroughly witli a light harrow, and was 

 cross ploughed the next fall without difiicultjr. 

 In the following June, (1S62) was again ploughed 

 and harrowed, when the sod was found to be thor- 

 oughly pulverized, the soil light and friable, free 

 fi'oni water, and in the best possible condition for 

 tilling purposes ; and all this change had taken 

 in 19 months after the drains were completed. 

 It was then sowed with redtop, with a small pro- 

 portion of timothy. 



The main drain was laid at that time about 400 

 feet in length, had a fall of six inches to the 100 

 feet, and discharged temporarily into the open 

 ditch wheie the work was for the present suspend- 

 ed. A large quantity of oxyde of iron, in the 

 form of a slimy deposit, was constantly discharged 

 at the outlet, coloring the water in the ditch for 

 some distance below. 



At the time of seeding this ground in June, 

 1802, the balance of the marsh on that side of the 

 open ditch, in all about six acres, was drained by 

 abandoning the old outlet and extending the main 

 drain down nearly 700 feet further, having a fall 

 of 3^ inches per 100 feet, with lateral drains oO 

 feet apart ; making the total length of the main a 

 little over 1000 feet, with cast iron "peep holes" 

 at ])roper distances. 



Now mark. Before the lower main was fin- 



