AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 229 



CRAB APPLE OP NORTH AMERICA. 



Here Is a specimen. Three in a bunch, very like large cherries ; very 

 beautiful flesh as well as color ; very pure in constitution ; as sound aa 

 crystal. 



Lindley, In his Vegetable Kingdom, says : They grow plentifully in 

 Europe, in northern Asia, the mountains of India, and North America ; 

 rare in Mexico, unknown In Asia, except on the northern shore, and in 

 Madeira, unknown In Africa, entirely absent from the Southern Hemi- 

 sphere ; one solitary species Is found In the Sandwich Islands. 



Downing says that the London Horticultural Society contains 900 varie- 

 ties of apples, and nearly 1500 varieties have been tested there, and that 

 new kinds are perpetually coming from seeds in our country. 



This crab grows best In our middle states, especially the western parts 

 of Pennsylvania and Virginia. 



No serious efforts have been made here to experiment on Improvement 

 by budding, grafting, &c. 



The Michigan Farmer, July 30th, 1859, says that a gardener, for econ- 

 omy, and to gain warmth for his trellis plants, applied coal tar with lamp 

 black, one-eighth the cost of oil, and found that all the Insects which had 

 always before Injured his fruit staid away, and he had fine crops. Sup- 

 poses the coal tar disgusts them. 



LONG ISLAND AGAIN. 



Mr. Meigs called attention to the following, as being a just view of that 

 admirable Island. 



The Soil of Long Island. — It has long been a subject of wonder to us, 

 why so many people go out West while In the vicinity of New York, so 

 ample a return for well bestowed labors may be anticipated, no further off 

 than a few hours journey on this Island. There are probably nearly half 

 a million acres of untilled but cultlvatable land on Long Island yet. 

 In 1847, the American Institute appointed a committee to visit Lung 

 Island, and examine the barrens thoroughly. Considerable interest was 

 felt In the matter, and, with the committee, 170 In all, highly respectable 

 citizens, many of them aged gentlemen, examined the lands, and resolved, 

 *' That these lands, so long left in a state of nature, are of Immense value 

 for tillage for the vine, mulberry, orchard, garden and field productions, 

 and fitted to reward the appropriate Investment of money and labor In 

 their good cultivation, to the full extent that can reasonably be desired." 

 In passing through this section you will occasionally come upon a few acres, 

 like the oasis in the desert, in striking contrast with the surrounding forest. 

 Here some one has ventured, and by hard labor has cleared away the oaks 

 and brought the soil into subjection, receiving as the reward therefor abun- 

 dant crops ; for on the land so cleared can be found as fine fields of grass 

 and grain, as fine orchards and crops of berries, as can be found anywhere. 

 There can be little doubt that any energetic young man, with sufEcieat 



