HORTICULTUEAL JOURNAL. 9 
the Fuclisia better than turfy loam, the first two or three inches of an old 
pasture of a light nature, three parts, to one of decayed horse or what is 
better, cow dung, with sand sufficient added to make the whole porous. 
TiLGATE. 
CULTURE OF THE APPLE. 
When I undertook to give you a short sketch of my practice and obser- 
vations on peach culture, for your No. 11, it was my intention to rest on 
my pen and take a long breath, before I again exercised myself in that line. 
I did not think I could give much information not already known to peach 
growers, — and indeed, my principal aim was to encourage other practical 
men to give in turn their experience and ideas, that I might learn myself 
how far to improve by their practice. You, however, deem, and probably 
with much justice, that amongst your readers there are. hundreds of novices 
— new beginners in the delightful art of Gardening — to whom the experi- 
ence of those who have passed over the track continually for so many years, 
never comes unacceptable, — to these therefore, I submit a few remarks on 
an equally valuable, but now no less unfortunate fruit ; the Apple. 
It was a pleasantly sad sight to a resident in the eastern district of Pennsyl- 
vania, to see such a magnificent display of apples as the Philadelphia markets 
have exposed this fall, and yet to learn at the same time, that his fatal 
locality could claim no share in its exhibition. However much he might 
strive to comfort himself with the fact that the failure here this season is 
to be attributed entirely to the very unusually late spring frost ; there would 
still remain the lurking impression, that in no season do our crops equal 
those of Ohio, western New York, or other favored spots ; or even come up 
to our recollections of long past experience, or the traditions of our fore- 
fathers in our own district. Is it a fact, that other climates and other soils 
are more favorable than our own ? Or that there has been any change in 
our climate or soil that should render apples less easily grown here now 
than formerly ? 
Certain it is, that in former years apples were produced in eastern Penn- 
sylvania in the greatest abundance;, and may almost be considered as having 
been one of its staple crops. Wherever we turn a few miles from the city 
of Philadelphia, we may see acres of venerable, but now barren trees ; and 
cider presses in every desirable corner. In our own times also, we have 
