520 Traxsactions of the Americax Institute. 



toes in barrels, pouring the sand in till all the intervals are full. The 

 barrels are kept in some room where it never freezes. Instead of 

 barrels he sometimes uses boxes of uniform size, so as to make a 

 smooth -wall. When piled up on one side of the room where the tire 

 never goes out in winter, this wall of boxes may be papered over, and 

 stands undisturbed till spring, when such potatoes will command the 

 highest prices. 



Mr. P. T. Quinn. — The soil and climate of the south are admirably 

 adapted to the growth of this tuber, and if the south can but see a _ 

 way in which the sweet potato may become an article of connnerce, 

 a great many million bushels will be raised. 



Fruit in the I^okthwest. 



Mr. C. H. Greenman, Milton, Wis., spoke of the conclusion to 

 which many years' trial had led him as to the fruits best adapted to 

 the I'egion he represents. He lives between forty-two and fortj'-three 

 degrees, and finds five varieties of apples hardy and productive : the 

 Fameuse, Red Astrakan, Tallman Sweet, Duchess of Oldenburg, and 

 the English Golden Russet. The Perry Russet and Flemish Beauty are 

 pretty good in Wisconsin. Of grapes there is no use in trying anything 

 there but Concords and Delawares, In strawberries the Wilson is 

 the favorite. The soil of orchards should be covered in winter with 

 some coarse grass or S'traw for mulch. The weather in the latter part 

 of February and early in March is sometimes unreasonably warm. 

 The mulching stops the mischief that ensues when the ground is sud- 

 denly thawed out and as suddenly frozen solid again. The grape 

 vines taken down and covered with eartli, were mostly killed, while 

 those covered with a coarse mulch were unharmed. 



Mr. W. S. Carpenter coincided with the remarks of Mr. Green- 

 man ; and stated that the Duchess of Oldenberg and Tallman Sweet- 

 ing were excellent varieties for our own locality. The Red Astra- 

 kan was superseded b}' the Summer Queen. Tlie varieties men- 

 tioned are very prolific, the trees are hardy, the fruit excellent, and 

 always commands a remunerative price in market. 



Pear Culture. 



Mr. H. Boise, in Pennsylvania, asks for advice on this branch of 

 pomology. 



Mr. P. T. Quinn answers him and says : Sow the seeds of pears in 

 a rich soil. When they spring up .and are a few inches high, bud 



