?,0Q 



to tlio inch, by measurement Mr Marsh's specimen gives 15 

 layers to the inch. Tlie name of the monstrous production 

 is, according to Prof, (x., Taxodlum scnipcrvlrens. Tliis 

 ditTercnco, if the species are identical in both specimens, 

 must be accounted for by a more rapid grovrth. Mr. Marsh 

 has raised some seedlings from seeds brought home by him. 



An interesting communication from Johm M. Ives was 

 read by that gentleman. It related to the cultivation of the 

 apple and the pear. The pear tree he remarked had the 

 reputation of being longer lived and more duralsie than the 

 apple tree. Notvdthstanding this, most of tlie newly intro- 

 duced and highly prized varieties show symptoms of decay 

 while the older sorts scattered over New England are still in 

 bearing condition and full of vigor and healtli. The causes 

 of decay in so valuable a tree are worthy of investigation 

 the more so as a period of from 50 to 100 years is allowed 

 for its existence. 



Tlie tap root as it is termed probably has something to do 

 Avith tlie long life of the tree. As far as we can know, such 

 roots still remain attached to the roots of all long lived 

 specimens of the pear tree. Perhaps the usual root-pruning 

 may after all be injurious : as it is invariably the custom 

 among nurserymen to cut off such roots on transplanting in 

 order to produce more lateral ones and such as will spread 

 themselves just under the soil, where the most fertility is 

 supposed to be. This kind of pruning may interfere with 

 the natural action of the growth and by producing a forced 

 growth and a sort of plethora it may tend to produce decay, 

 although the bearing of fruit may be hastened thereby. Mr. 

 Ives also suggested whether Van Mons' method of producing 

 new varieties by enfeebling or subduing the original coarse 

 luxuriance of the tree and sowing seeds from fruits not 

 mature, with the close planting of his seedling trees, might 

 not operate towards this decay. Du Hamel of France, he 

 ■observed, could not produce a single fine variety from seeds 



