HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 27 



and delicious ; quality " best." TJie Beurre Clairgeau has been described 

 and figured both in the Horticulturist and in Hovey's Magazine; and its pe- 

 riod of maturity is represented to be October and November. The advanced 

 season of the year (December 9th,) when our specimen was eaten, may have 

 enabled it to develop more completely its fine qualities. To this, or to some 

 other auspicious circumstance, may perhaps be attributed the somewhat 

 higher estimate expressed by us of its quality, than that entertained by some 

 other pomologists quite as competent as ourselves to judge of its merits. At 

 any rate we are fully persuaded that the specimen examined by us was, in 

 all respects, justly entitled to the highest grade of excellence. 



From the Hon. George W. Woodward, Wilkesbarre, Pa. 



Blackberries. — Having learned from various sources that the blackberry 

 grown in the valley of the Wyoming was of unusal size, we were anxious to 

 see specimens of the fruit. This the kind attention of Judge Woodward en- 

 abled us to do, about sixteen months ago. The specimens then forwarded to 

 us, though in a dried state, were remarkably large; and we hoped, by plant- 

 ing the seed, to obtain varieties still finer; but unfortunate^ none of the seed 

 vegetated. The specimens now received were gathered during the summer 

 of the present year at their usual time of ripening, and put into a bottle of 

 alcohol. The bottle having been placed on its side, the cork came out and 

 the alcohol escaped. The berries, therefore, did not retain their full size, 

 and yet some of them measured one and one-eighth inches in length. The 

 number of pips contained in each is unusually great; in one berry we counted 

 113, in another 146. In form the fruit resembles that of the cultivated high 

 bush variety of Boston. 



The Blackberry is, no doubt, capable of considerable improvement in size 

 and quality. With a view of ascertaining to what extent this can be accom- 

 plished by cultivation, by crossing, and by raising seedlings, we are desirous 

 of obtaining some of the most remarkable kinds from different sections of the 

 country. Judge Woodward has very kindly promised us plants of the one 

 grown in the vicinity of Wilkesbarre. To C. M. Hovey we are already in- 

 debted for the Boston improved High Bush variety ; and to Wm. R. Prince 

 for the White, and the Parsley-leaved. The New Rochelle, from Westches- 

 ter county, New York, we have not received ; will Mr. Lawton send us by 

 express a good sized plant of this variety? The blackberry, like the rasp- 

 berry, may be propagated with great ease, and with almost magic rapidity 

 by division of the root into small sections. 



The Library Committee presented their annual report upon its condition, 

 showing that thirty-one volumes had been added thereto, that ten dollars had 

 been received from members for fines, and that one-hundred and seventy- 

 five dollars were expended. 



