178 



A pples. 



We should estimate the difference of product be- 

 tween common seedling apple trees and the beet se- 

 lected varieties, to be not lees than ten to one in fiivor 

 of the latter ; but the difference of value will apiiear 

 much greater if we take into view the quality as well 

 as the quantity. An extensive orchard of seedling 

 trees, originally ; ahd great numbers growing in a 

 hedge, fully bear us out in these concliiaions. 



The fruit of seedling t^ees, is not generally so dili- 

 cient in number as in size, though boih deficiencies of- 

 ten occur ; and in wet summers many apples, which 

 would be of good size in dry seasons, become block 

 knobs in consequence of the Lichcji ? which spreads 

 over them in the form of scabs. 



It is remarkable that pomologists have generally 

 neglected to notice this circumstance. Hove all of 

 them lived in drier climates than ours 1 Be this as it 

 may, some fine varieties are scarcely worth cultivating 

 in Western New-York, solely on this account. The 

 Queen apple may be given as one instance, and the 

 Autumnal Swaar as another — both fine fruits in dry 

 hot summers, and both without doubt, better adopted 

 to a lower latitude. 



On the other hand, russets with scarcely an excep- 

 tion, arc free from this smut. We are also inclined 

 to think that apples with thick skins, like the Black 

 Gillifiovoer, more generally escape than those with a 

 thinner integument. It is not Improbable however, 

 that some variation from this rule may be foimd. 



The value of apples as food for milch cows, and for 

 the fatening of swine, is becoming more e.ttensively 

 known ; and it may serve to console such friends of 

 Temperance as were once largely engaged in cider- 

 making. We find that we have never too many, 

 though we make no cider except for vinegar or apple 

 sauce. Many years ago in a dry season, we first tried 

 the experiment of giving bruised apples in measured 

 quantities to our cows ; and their milk woe greatly 

 increased. Our hogs also grew fat by feeding on this 

 fruit, without any labor of ours, except to see that a 

 suificiency falls. As the weather grows colder how- 

 ever, they gradually lose the relish for this food, espe- 

 cially when they get something better. 



It has long appeared to us thot farmers might save 

 themselves from much expenee, by planting out small 

 orchards expressly for the keeping and fattening of 

 swine. We recommended this measure to the public 

 more than twenty years ago. By selecting the earli- 

 est apples and such as ripen in regular succession, food 

 might be provided in abundance for them during a pe- 

 riod of three months. A little swill enriched by milk 

 or meal however, is a valuable auxiliary. 



More than four hundred kinds of apple trees are ad- 

 vertised by some nurserymen ; and among ihem are 

 doubtless great numbers of which we know nothing ; 

 but we are not acquainted with any apple better adapt- 

 ed to such an orchard than the Sweet Bous^h which 

 begins to lipen in harvest. It bears every year with 

 us, and every year alike— a fall crop without breaking 

 down. The tree is rather compact in its form, not 

 spreading wide, and one hundred and sixty might 

 grow on an acre. The fruit continues to drop from it 

 for more than a month, and sometimes for nearly two 

 months. 



In planting out such an orchard however, there 

 ought to be earlier apples than the Sweet Bough, such 

 as the Yellowi Harvest ; and some later. We want 

 apples for swine, several weeks after the Sweet 

 Bough is commonly gone ; and among the multitudes 

 that ripen at this season, the farmer cannot be much at 

 n loss to select some that are always productive, and 

 always good. 



In another article we have mentioned the Grazm- 

 $tein~" esteemed the best apple of Germany and the 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 



Low Countries." We have waited two or three years 

 after the tree began to bear, without propagating it, so 

 that we might fully and fairly test its fruit ; and we 

 have now arrived at the concUisioH that it is first rate 

 in every respect. The tree grows freely— a model of 

 thrifiinees withoutany wild luxuriance. It bears well, 

 and the fruit is large, fair and excellent More than 

 one taster has exclaimed--" I never ate a better ap- 

 ple." 



Its excellence is tbe more remarkable on account of 

 its being one of the very few European sorts that suit 

 our climate. Some years ago we received from Buel 

 & Wilson, a considerable number of auch as are most 

 highly recommended by LinJIey in bis Guide to .the 

 Orchard and Fruit Garden ; but with this solitary ex- 

 ception, they are not worth cultivating here. It is 

 true that the King of the Pippins ia beautiful, but it 

 IS too austere for our purposes. 



Several things are necessary to constitute a variety 

 of \.he first class. The fruit may be fine, but the tree 

 comparatively unproductive. Such for instance is the 

 case here with the Newtoicn Pippin. It is eaeier to 

 raise five bushels of the Sicaar, or the Spitzcnburgh, 

 than one bushel of tbe farmer kind. It is a first rate 

 apple in well grown specimens, but there our eulogy 

 must end. ' 



Ripening of Late, or Winter Pears. 



At poge 82 of our current volume, we mentioned 

 the effects of an inereose of temperature in ripening 

 winter pears. This fall, when we gathered in our 

 Virgdlieus, part were put in a warm room, and part 

 in an out house. The former ripened much sooner 

 than the latter. 



Steven's Genceee pear was much later thon usual 

 in coming to maturity. They turned yellow about 

 the commencement of our autumnal frosts, and fell Irom 

 the tree ; but remained hard while they lay on the 

 ground exposed to the cold On bringing ihcm into 

 a warm room however, they soon became melting. — 

 The Beurre Diel and several others, under s'milar 

 treatment, were attended by similar results. 



Nuiiher apples nor pears ought to freeze ; but the 

 nearer they are kept to that temperature without freez- 

 ing, the better they will Iteep ; and we have no doubt 

 that some autumnal poors may be kept until winter, or 

 even until spring, in an ice house. 



Many apples may be frozen hard without moterial 

 injury, if the warmth be afterwards applied very grad- 

 ually. For instance : if they are taken in a frozen 

 Slate, not exposed to the sun, and buried in the 

 ground. The intensity of the frost is of leefl conse- 

 quence, than the manner in which it is removed ; 

 and if frozen apples were packed in ice, it is not im- 

 probable lliey would keep all the year. 



But what we want chiefly to inculcate at present is, 

 that the time that winter pears ripen will very much 

 depend on the temperature in which they are kept. 



t 





The Mediterranean Wheat. 



We cbserve that the attention of farmers in thi 

 south-eastern part of Pennsylvania, is becoming mori 

 and more turned towards a new kind of wheat collet 

 the Mediterranean, the merits of which hove beet 

 variously estimated ; but as we have not seen thi 

 sou, we shall confine ourselves to laying the opin 

 ions of others before our readers. 



From a writer in the Farmer's Cabinet, (Vol 

 poge 69,) v/e quote tbe following : 



" lis diminutive ears, and bho.-l straw, its inequali "' 

 ty of sample, and inferiority of flour, render it to me *"" 

 a very exceptionable variety ; indeed I wonder \\o\ 

 any good manager vvoiildbe content to grow cars tw 

 inches in length, yiel'dijig only twenty grains on a 

 overage, with straw so weak and short as to tall b< 

 fore the crop is ripe, and diminishing the size of th 

 dung-hill nearly one half. I have examined mon 

 crops ol this peculiar species of wheat, and am con 

 vinceil in my own mind, that it is the real " Tri 

 mois," or French spring wheat, which as its nam 

 imports, becomes ripe in three momhs from the tim 

 of sowing, and of which I have seen hundreds of acre 

 growing in Europe, particulorly in the Channel li 

 lands, Guernsey ond Jersey, where it is \ a' lied, chie 

 iy on this account, a character tor earlinees which 

 bos sustained in this country and climate ; comin 

 ripe under the some circumstoncee, ten days or a for 

 night earlier than any other variety known omongi 

 us ; thus probably escaping the rust which is pretl 

 sure to fall on the late ripening wheal ; but wherevt 

 it is sown in Europe, it is considered a very inferit 

 crop, ond is cullivoled only on hind thoi is either tc 

 poor or ill-conditioned to warrant more than hall 

 yield of other varieties." 



In thesamepoper,./«teye7iAinsof WestWbitelonc 

 in Chester county, says in regard to the same kindt 

 wheat : 



To Mark Names on Fruit. 



The Chorleston Tronscript recommends putting 

 wax on thesunny side of half-grown peaches and nec- 

 tarines, "in any desired shape or form;" ond the 

 wax will hioder the suji from coloring tie part that is 

 covered. When the fruit is ripe the wax may be re 

 moved. 



A more convenient method however, moy be adopt- 

 ed tor morking pears and apples. Write on the fruit 

 when it ia gathered, with a biack lead pencil, or a 

 small stick not sharp enough to cut tlie skin, and the 

 bruised port will soon chonge color. Wliero the fruit 

 is not deeply colored, the writing will be as plain as if 

 done with ink, and perfectly indeUble. We have 

 found tWs method veiy convenientond useful. t 



(1* 

 ibeft. 



Tit 



" It appears to have CBcnpcd the Ilession fly an' 

 the rust. On a rich lot of two acres, 1 have hav 

 vested 14!)4 sheaves of usual s;ze. The cJ-op on tvw |i 

 large fields is not heavy, owing it is thought to t(k 

 large a growth of timothy that had been sown with i 

 but the yield is tolerable and the quality good." 



A correspondent of onre near Downingtown in tb * 

 same county, says in a letter lately received ; — " Oi 

 wheat in eastern Pennsylvania, will average about tw 

 thirds of a crop ; but the lately introduced wheat cal. 

 ed the Mediterranean bos yielded nearly a full era 

 wherever it has been sown ; ond as j'ct it bos escope- 

 the attacks of the Hessian fly and the mildew, 

 makes good bread, though somewhat harsh, an 

 weighs from &i to 66 pounds to the bushel." 



Another of our correspendents i Bucks county 

 who resides more than forty miles from the forme- 

 under the date of 9 mo. 27, says : " A kind of ri 

 chaff wheat with large kernels not unlike rye in shop. "' 

 and called the Mediterranean, has been sown in th 

 vicinity for several years past. It is not liable to ll^JJ' 

 ravages of the Hessian fly, nor affected by rust or mi 

 dew, like other wheat ; and does not require su( 

 high manuring. It is fully as productive, and i 

 inany instances more so than our other sorts of whoo^ "' 

 It can be sowed early without danger of the fly, and 

 is fit to harvest a week or more before the usual timi 

 I he flower made from it this season, is better an 

 whiter than any we have had in our house for a Ion 

 time. A very deep rooted prejudice prevails wit 

 many, against it, without ever giving it atrial." 



We should like to knew whether this kind of whet 

 hos been introduced into Western New-York, and 

 so, in what estimation it is held ? t 



li 



Review. 



"The Orchard: including the management o 

 wall and standard fruit trees, [and the forcing pit 

 with selected lists and synonymes of the most choici 

 varieties." By Charles M'lntosh, London, 18391 

 (Price unknown.) 



This is a lorge duodecimo, very neatly printed, s: 

 ontaining eighteen handsomely colored plates, a 

 numerous wood cuts, all executed with much tas!« 



