— ■ _—_ _ ^ E<£ 



- .^^2 i . . : . ^ 



264 







by fully thirty per cent. , the fruit is better flavored, 

 and the plant fully as hardy and a very strong 

 grower. 



Austin Shaker bears immense crops of large, 

 handsome berries, fair flavor, plant perfectly hardy, 

 does best grown in hills with the runners cut off— 

 an excellent variety for amateurs, but perhaps too 

 soft tor distant marketing. 



RusseWs Prolific diVidi Buffalo Seedling as we have 

 them here are two very distinct varieties, the former 

 being staminate and the latter pistillate, yet the size 

 and flavor of the fruit are nearly alike, with perhaps 

 greater richness in favor of the Russell. The flavor 

 of both is excellent, but though the plants are as 

 hardy they are not so productive as the other varie- 

 ties above named. 



Wilson, about as hardy and productive here as it 

 is almost ever3^where. 



Agriculturist. — I expected this variety would 

 prove a failure here ; thought our severe winters 

 would use them up, but after two years' trial am 

 agreeably disappointed, The plants are just as 

 hardy as Green prolific or Wilson, need high cul- 

 ture, but the berries are of the most extraordinary 

 size and the quantity in proportion — flavor superior 

 to any other variety grown here. 



During the past three years we have had sixteen 

 varieties of strawberries under trial here, and from 

 notes taken each fruiting season find the above 

 varieties all that are really worthy of cultivation. 

 The Agriculturist, G-reen Prolific, Wilson and Austin 

 Shaker give the best results as to hardiness of 

 plants, productiveness, and flavor of fruit. 



Among discarded varieties are Golden Seeded and 

 Filmore, the latter a large, handsome berry, but so 

 deficient in flavor as to be deemed worthless. Hoed 

 up several thousand plants this season, while there 

 was yet some fruit on, and threw them in the hog- 

 pen so that nobody else shall get disappointed even 

 if he should insist on it. The above experience of 

 course is only local, but I think will, in a general 

 way, apply to a great part of the north-west. 



FEAR SPROUT FROM A WHITE THORN. 

 BY MR. J. STOUGH, GENESEO, ILLS. 



In the March number of the Monthly, page 79, 

 we read, — "When such cases are given, viz : pear 

 sprouts doing what we know they ought not to do, 

 they should r.e thoroughly investigated." 



Now I have to report that another pear sprout 

 made its advent this spring out of a wild thorn, four 

 inches below the graft. 



I, therefore, respectfully ask Br. J. Stayman to 

 act as a comrx}ittee3 and give to those said pro- 



ductions that thorough investigation which has been 

 suggested. 



THU UMPRUITFUL PEAR TREES LOADED 

 WITH FRUIT, 



BY DR. J. S. HOUGHTON, PHILADELPHIA. 



The unfruitful pear trees on my grounds, which 

 have been the subject of discussion in previous 

 numbers of the Gardener^ s Monthly, are this season 

 loaded with an abundant and fine crop of fruit. 



This result by no means contradicts the opinion 

 of Professor Wood, that many of the blossoms ex- 

 hibited a low state of vitality, and a deficient supply 

 of pollen ; or the opinion of Mr. Meehan, that the 

 trees were weakened by the excess of blossoms. 



It appears, however, that notwithstanding the 

 great number of defective blossoms, there were 

 numerous other blossoms on the trees of a vigorous, 

 perfect, and fruitful character,' which have set a 

 fine crop of pears, not on scattered trees only but a 

 full and uniform crop on nearly five thousand trees, 

 covering upwards of five acres of ground. The 

 opening of the season, as all fruit cultivators are 

 aware, was one of the most unfavorable that we 

 have had for many years. Cold north-west rains 

 prevailed for many days during the blossoming 

 period, and these rains were preceded by severe 

 frosts. The trees in question are located in a well 

 sheltered position ; but all other trees in my orchard 

 exposed to the full force of the storms, had nearly 

 all their blossoms frosted and destroyed. The value 

 ot perfect shelter in preserving fruit blossoms, was 

 perhaps never more strikingly exhibited. 



But why did the formerly unfruitful pear trees 

 set a crop of fruit in this most un propitious season ? 



Mr. Meehan says the system of surface culture 

 which I pursue is a "pernicious" one, which he 

 has long combatted with great earnestness. He 

 advocates, not pear trees in cultivated ground, but 

 " pears in grass." He also opposes my method of 

 close pruning. Now, I claim that my method of 

 culture, which this year for the first time has been 

 brought to something like perfection, was the direct 

 cause of producing my present crop of fruit, and 

 that under any other system, especially under the 

 "grass" system, the crop would not probably have 

 been produced. 



I wish the readers of the " Monthly'' to under- 

 stand that this contest of opinions between Mr. 

 Meehan and myself, is a perfectly friendly one. His 

 opinions do not in the slightest degree disturb my 

 feelings or shake my judgment on the question of the 

 true method of eultu-e. I believe I am right. I be- 

 lieve that my method of culture is the only one that 



