436 



WINDFALLS. 



to make of it what the tree should be. Let careful at- 

 tention still follow it, removing, each season, all unnec- 

 essary growth, giving proper shape and training until 

 the tree is well established, and even thereafter neces- 

 sary pruning must not cease. 



It is doing the tree double violence to suffer useless or 

 unnecessary branches to grow, perhaps for two or three 

 years and then cut them away ; it is evident, if taken 

 off when young, that which is thus thrown away would 

 have gone to the support of the tree in its fruit bearing. 

 Trees which have been neglected and have grown large 

 and irregular tops should be but sparingly pruned the 

 first year, and in a similar manner the succeeding season, 

 thus gradually bringing them into proper shape and 

 condition, and avoiding, to a great extent, the enfeeb- 

 ling effects likely to follow excessive pruning. 



Close and careful attention is the inevitable duty levied 

 upon all who would produce good and desirable fruits ; 

 but, fortunately, the duty does not by any means equal 

 the profits derived from such fruits. There is a vast 

 difference in appearance, flavor and value between fruits 

 grown upon well-managed trees and those grown upon 

 trees neglected or improperly treated. While fruits of 

 the first class are potent in the way of inciting demands 

 and enhancing prices, the inferior class causes depress- 

 ion in both. — James I. Baird, Ky. 



A Revised Nomenclature. — Forty years ago, the 

 pear widely and popularly known as " Virgalieu " stood 

 higher in reputation for market in western New York 

 than any other variety. W. R. Coppock, of Buffalo, sent 

 several barrels of this pear to New York, a part of which 

 he marked "Virgalieu," and another portion under the 

 name of "White Doyenne," the French name by which 

 It was originally known. He supposed that the high- 

 sounding French would give him a higher price. We 

 have heard him state that so well known was the Ameri- 

 can Virgalieu for great excellence that the barrels mark- 

 ed with this name sold for just double those under the 

 French label. At the present day the pear most widely 

 known in market, and most highly prized, is the English 

 variety known with us as the Bartlett, but originally in 

 England as Williams' Bonchretien. and if offered in 

 market here by the latter name, they would not sell half 

 so well as under the simple name Bartlett. Of the many 

 thousand persons who are familiar with the simple name 

 Baldwin, very few know that there is such an apple as 

 the one under the high-sounding name of " King of the 

 Pippins," a fruit of no value. Many other examples 

 might be given to show that no fruit sells better for 

 being under a highly laudatory name. The peach which 

 received the name "Incomparable" is never inquired 

 for in the market nor in the nursery, while the plain 

 Crawford outsells it by many thousands to one. With 

 our people the name Washington would be regarded as 

 the highest in praise that could be applied to any fruit, 

 but it has not given a transcendent reputation to the 

 Washington peach, the Washington plum, or to the Wash- 

 ington pear, fruits good in themselves but not adapted 



to the popular taste. Some of our readers will re- 

 member the Colfax strawberry, the name of which, 

 borrowed from the distinguished statesman, has not pre- 

 vented it from entire extinction from all nursery cata- 

 logues. 



Yet these facts, and a multitude of others of a similar 

 character, do not apparently at all retard the increasing 

 tendency at the present time to give laudatory names to 

 newly introduced fruits to accelerate their introduction ; 

 nor the practice of attaching to the name the word ' ' pro- 

 lific, " "favorite," " triumph " or "pride." Such names 

 do not help the sale to intelligent purchasers, and often 

 excite suspicion that they were given to cover defects or 

 positive want of m&c'w.. — -Connlry Cetitlcman. 



Irrigation Associations in California. — The Cali- 

 fornia fruit growers are making a strong effort to per- 

 suade the legislature into the formation of a permanent 

 state association. A beginning was made last autumn, 

 when delegates from the verious local irrigationists, 

 organized under the existing law, met and formulated 

 the petition for a permanent state organization. The 

 importance of this movement may be easily seen by 

 looking at a few figures. 



In the six irrigated counties of the state there are 

 twenty-eight irrigation districts. Some of these are 

 strong ; but others are weak and need the guidance and 

 help of a state association, and the state board of irri- 

 gation which that body contemplates nominating for the 

 Governor's approval whenever it is legally in being. 

 The value of the irrigation districts is estimated at $46,- 

 080,315. The number of acres suitable for irrigation 

 is 1,647,993, and the amount of bonds issued for irriga- 

 tion works is$ii, 092, 000. In 1880 the six irrigated coun- 

 ties had an assessed valuation of $41, 121,782, while in i8go 

 their assessed valuation was $182, 157,655, an average in- 

 crease of over 300 per cent. Some of the counties, where 

 the ' ' boom " was the most spirited, showed an increase of 

 over 500 per cent. The increase of wealth in the six 

 irrigated counties during this decade was $i4i,ooo,oob, 

 while in the other districts of the state, outside of San 

 Francisco, it was only $205,000,000. The increase of 

 population in the irrigated counties was equally wonder- 

 ful. In San Diego county the increase was 205 per 

 cent. ; in Los Angeles and Orange counties, which were 

 then united, 244 per cent.; in San Bernardino county 

 227 per cent. ; in Fresno 228, and in Tulare about 200 per 

 cent. It would not be fair to credit irrigation with all 

 this increase. Indeed, irrigation is conducted on a small 

 and imperfect scale in other counties than the six. Yet 

 in that system may be disco\'ered the chief motive 

 power. — Kham. 



Rough Notes from the Arkansas Valley. — The 



first lesson from the Pueblo District Horticultural So- 

 ciety was taken December 17, 1890. Dr. Shaw, of Den- 

 ver, was the orator of the day, and showed himself 

 master of the situation. We shall not quote from his 

 address, but give the substance of some good points 

 made to show that this valley is destined to become a 



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