THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



445 



either as to flavour or otherwise, we wish them 

 to send us a specimen with such account of its 

 origin as they can avouch a description of its 

 peculiar qualities, of the soil in which it grows, 

 with such other particulars as may be worthy 

 of mention. If it be preferred, however, in- 

 stead of sending directly to the Planter office, 

 send fo the Secretary of the State Agricultural 

 Society, which will accomplish all that we have 

 in view. 



There are many reasons why this request 

 should be heeded, two of which we will adduce. 

 The first which we mention, is that it may be 

 the means of giving us some, and perhaps 

 many excellent varieties of fruits, originated 

 here in our own climate in addition to those 

 already known' ; and secondly, it will enable us 

 to ascertain what varieties produce best in each 

 section of the State ; how one variety thrives 

 best in the soil of Accomac, and another in the 

 soil of Alleghany, and thus, nursery men, in 

 filling orders sent them by farmers for fruit 

 trees, will be able to send just those varieties 

 best adapted to the soil of the localities where 

 they are to be planted. 



These two reasons are sufficient, as it seems 

 to us, to justify the request which we have 

 made of our readers. Suppose, by their com- 

 pliance, we should discover in some corner of 

 Virginia, where it is growing now unknown to 

 fame, such an apple as the Albemarle pippin, 

 or the new apple raised by M. McCue, such a 

 pear as the _ Sickle, a superior peach, plum or 

 cherry. And why not ? The Sickle pear, was 

 found accidently when a full grown fruit pro- 

 ducing tree, and has now become an universal 

 favourite with fruit growers all over the coun- 

 try. Other favourite and famous pears have 

 been discovered in like manner, and so of 

 many other of our standard fruits. What has 

 thus so often happened here in this State and 

 elsewhere, may very well happen here again, 

 and there will be no controversy we imagine 

 on this point, that if a number of new and 

 valuable fruits should thus be discovered and 

 introduced into general notice, it would be a 

 great public benefit. 



It is, however, the other object as connected 

 with the former on which we lay the chief 

 stress. It is a fact well known to fruit growers 

 that there is no fruit which will thrive equally 

 in every soil. Our peach produces excellently 

 in Surry County, which will do but poorly in 



Campbell, and so of others. While this is 

 stubbornly true, still no nursery man in the 

 State can speak with confidence as to which, 

 or whether any of the varieties which he has 

 for sale, will prosper well in this or that section. 

 For the most part, they are varieties originated 

 in other States, where perhaps both climate 

 and soil differs materially from that of Vir- 

 ginia, and it may chance that when they are 

 planted here, they will deteriorate, and at all 

 events no man can do more than guess at the 

 result. All this uncertainty would be avoided 

 on the happening of the event to which we 

 have referred. Then the nursery man would 

 have in his grounds whatever fruits had shown 

 themselves peculiarly adapted to any par- 

 ticular locality, and the buyer would know that 

 the trees he was purchasing would thrive in 

 his soil. 



The attainment of these desirable ends are, 

 in our opinion, worth whatever effort may be 

 necessary to secure them, and we earnestly 

 invite the assistance of all the readers of this 

 journal. The season just approaches when the 

 various fruits begin to ripen, and it will be an 

 easy matter to pluck one or two specimens 

 from any such tree as we have described herein, 

 and send them with such a statement as can be 

 made concerning them either to the Southern 

 Planter office, or to the Secretary of the Agri- 

 cultural Society. When received, we will ex- 

 amine them and compare them carefully with 

 the well known species now cultivated in our 

 nurseries, and print such account of them as 

 shall seem likely to interest and inform our 

 readers. And if there shall be sent in any 

 really fine fruits not now generally known 

 among fruit growers, we shall take such 

 measures as will put them within the reach of 

 every owner of an orchard in the State. 



Mignonette— Eeseda Odorata. 



. This fragrant weed, is a native of Egypt, 

 and was introduced into European gardens, 

 something more than a hundred years ago. 

 It first found its way into the South of France, 

 where it was welcomed by the name Migno- 

 nette, which means " little darling." The 

 name is peculiarly appropriate, and is now 

 universally accepted. It has much the ap- 

 pearance of a common weed, — its peculiar ex. 

 cellence consisting in its powerful and peculiar- 



