82 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[March, 
pears. We have heard of larger penis, but this 
excels in weight and size any other one that we 
have ever seen. It weighed full three pounds and 
sftien ounces after its arrival here. P. S. Since 
writing the above, a gentleman whose name we 
did not learn, called and informed us that he 
was a neighbor of Dr. Beard at the San Jose 
Mission, and that he was knowing to the fact 
that the tree was taken to California six or seven 
years ago, from the nurseries of Messrs. Parsons 
& Co., of Flushing, N. Y. Both himself and 
Dr. Beard ordered a considerable number of 
trees at the same time, among which was the 
one producing the above specimen, as w T ell as 
its predecessor, the " Bushnell Pear." 
Dwarf Apples. 
To any of our readers who may be discour- 
aged with dwarf pears, we would recommend a 
trial of dwarf apples. They are produced by 
grafting the ordinary apples on the Paradise, or 
Doucin stock'. And here lies an advantage or 
two; one does not have to wait and carefully 
experiment, as with pears, to find out what kinds 
will succeed as dwarfs, what need double-work- 
ing, etc. Take any sort desired, and, if prop- 
erly grafted, it w'ill succeed, and be fruitful 
much earlier than the common apple tree. 
Those grafted on the Doucin stock will usual- 
ly fruit the fourth year, and those on the Para- 
dise the third year. Fire-blight, sap-blight, and 
hard winters seldom trouble the dwarf apple. 
These dwarf trees are desirable for small gar- 
dens and village door-yards. Common apple- 
trees need to stand 20 to 30 feet apart, and 
of course there can be very few of them planted 
in ordinary town-yards, but dwarf trees may 
stand at eight feet apart for the Doucin and 
six for the Paradise. This will enable a family 
to raise quite a pretty assortment of dessert ap- 
ples. Of those which naturally form roundish, 
symmetrical heads, we note the Red Astrachan, 
Porter, Baldwin, Dyer, SummerRose, and Sweet 
Bough. The following, though a little rampant 
and irregular, yield fine fruit: Lady Apple, 
Early Strawberry, Wagoner, Northern Spy and 
Tompkins' King. As a general rule, summer 
and autumn fruits should be raised on the 
dwarf stock, and the orchard depended on for 
the general winter supply. 
Hints in Pruning. 
Pruning is not an indiscriminate cutting, but 
is an operation to be performed according to 
certain rules. The cut should always be made 
near a bud. If the cut is made for some distance 
above the bud, the wood will die down to it. 
Hard wooded trees should be cut as shown in 
fig. 1. The cut commencing opposite the base 
Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. 
of the bud and sloping up to a point opposite to 
the top of it, as shown by the dotted lines. In 
fig. 2, the cut is too far above the bud, and a 
stub is left which seldom heals over, but rots. In 
fig. 3, the cut is made too near the bud, with too 
great a slope, and there is danger of its dying. 
Recollect that the bud will form the future 
branch, and the shape of the tree will be gov- 
erned by the choice of the bud left to continue 
the growth. Soft wooded trees and shrubs 
should not be cut quite so close to the bud as 
those having hard wood. 
Dwarf Pears. 
J. Franklin Spaulding, of Nashua, N. H., 
thinks that the pear throws out roots only on 
strong loamy soils, unsuited to the growth of the 
quince. He removed some dwarf pear trees 
which had been planted for 23 years, and found 
the quince stocks all in healthy condition. These 
trees had all been set with the juncture of the 
pear and quince about 6 inches below the sur- 
face. His experience is, that upon soils suited to 
the quince, the stock will last as long as the 
pear. He doubts if the pear will throw out roots 
where the soil is properly cultivated, unless the 
trees are mulched, as the soil would otherwise 
become too dry to favor the formation of roots. 
•-. -=««»- — »-«. 
Notes from the Fruit Growers' Meetings. 
JANUARY 15. 
Keeping Fruits.— Dr. Ward presented a plate of 
Lawrence pears, in good condition. This has not hitherto 
been regarded as a Winter variety. He allows the fruit 
to remain late upon the tree, which holds its foliage 
longer tiian most other pears. It is then placed in the 
cellar, which is ventilated by admitting air from without 
as often as it can be done without danger of freezing. He 
thinks that fruits keep much better when the exhalations 
arising from them are removed. The specimens had been 
kept in a warm room for about two weeks, and upon 
testing were found to be of most excellent quality. Dr. 
W. thought he would have no difficulty in keeping the 
Lawrence until the 1st of March. 
Mr. Carpenter had not been so successful ; all his 
specimens of Lawrence w-ere gone before Jan. 1st, while 
the Vicar of Winktield and Glout Moreeau would keep 
until April, lie thought the quality of the soil affected 
the keeping of the fruit. The subject of retarding fruits 
was regarded as one of great importance, it was con- 
ceded that nothing was equal to ice for this purpose. 
Dr. Ward was convinced that the best and most eco- 
nomical method of using ice had not yet been discovered. 
He was making some experiments, which he hoped to 
lay before the meeting at another time. 
Mr. Carpenter had found nothing like ice ; he had, hy 
means of it, kept the Bartlett into October, and thus real- 
ized three times the usual price, and believed that a cor- 
rect method of using ice would not only be profitable to the 
fruit growers, hut would be the means of benefitting the 
public by prolonging the season of choice fruits. 
Mr. Fuller wished for some simple way to preserve 
fruits which could be practised by every fanner, and 
asked if fruit in closed boxes or barrels, kept better 
than when open. He put them in tight boxes, after 
sweating. It was thought that no general rule could be 
given, that it depended upon the peculiarity of the kinds. 
Pears with a thin skin, like the Flemish Beauty, should 
be exposed, while those with a tougll skin, like the Law- 
rence, should be confined. 
In reply to the question whether any packing material 
was useful, Mr. Carpenter slated that it was, for pre- 
serving a uniform temperature. He thought rice chaff 
was best, and next to that oat chatT. He packed his fruit 
in it, and left the barrels out until there was danger of 
freezing, and then removed them to the cellar. He 
found, on opening a package the day before, that the 
fruit was 10 or 15 degrees cooler than the atmosphere of 
the room in which it was kept. 
Grapes.— In the discussion upon a list of grapes to 
recommend for cultivation in the vicinity of New- York 
several cultivators gave their experience. Mr. Oliver 
advocated the claims of the Concord for prolific bearing ; 
was planting 17 acres of this variety ; considered it the 
only native grape that would make wine without sugar, 
and presented samples of brandy, which were pronounced 
good. It took eight gallons of grape juice to make one 
gallon of brandy. 
Dr. Ward said that the Concord stood the sun as no 
other grape would; had it growing by the side of other 
grapes, and found that the foliage remained fresh, while 
that of the Isabella and other grapes was curled by hpat. 
Mr. Fuller remarked that the wood of this variety ri- 
pened early— long before the leaves fell. 
Mr. Field said we needed a substitute for the Isabel- 
la. People would go on planting that variety, because 
they knew of nothing better. This was a great mistake, 
and would only lead to disappointment. The Isabella 
was not adapted to exposed situations, and would only 
grow upon the south side of some protecting object. In 
city yards it did well, but in open places it was not worth 
planting. Knew a vineyard which had been planted 
seven or eight years that had never yielded a perfect 
cluster. He thought that the Concord was the best grape 
he ever knew. 
Mr. Carpenter thought the Concord the grape for the 
million— it gave good fruit if neglected, and better if 
cared for. As the Delaware needs more care, he would 
place the Concord at the head of the list. The Hart- 
ford Prolific was very early, ripening two weeks soon- 
er than any other, but it would not give fine fruit 
without extra care, and on that account was not proper 
to recommend ; the same with the Diana. The Isabella 
he would condemn, for it disappointed thousands. The 
Iona he thought highly of, and believes it will supplant 
the Delaware. 
Mr. Fuller objected to recommending a variety which, 
like the Iona, was not generally obtainable. 
Dr. Trimble had seen an abundance of the fruit of 
the Delaware at the exhibitions in New-Jersey. Knew- 
of 35 bunches being raised on a graft two years old. 
Mr. Field thought the Delaware would improve with 
time. The Diana had improved with him. and made 
stronger wood. He thought the Delaware would beat 
the Diana and Isabella anywhere, in open grounds. 
Mr. Saxton had 100 bunches on three vines of the Dela- 
ware, planted out only two years. 
January 22. 
Grapes. — Varieties recommended. — After examining the 
great California Pear, the varieties of grapes to be recom- 
mended for general cultivation, especially in the vicinity 
of New-York, were discussed. 
Dr. Trimble moved a resolution, which was passed, 
that Mr. Borland of Bucks Co., Pa., be requested to com 
municate his melhod of grape grafting to the meeting. 
—Mr. Cummings thought that this melhod of propaga- 
tion might often be useful when slow growing varieties 
of grapes were grafted on quick growing stocks. 
Di\ Ward thought we should be very cautious in 
coming to a conclusion about this method of propagating 
the grape, from a single experiment. When the grape 
was grafted on an old root it was a long time before a 
good plant could be secured. The old roots decayed he- 
fore there was sufficient foliage to keep them growing. 
Mr. Mead would place the Delaware at the head of the 
list, but it needs the high culture anil care that few per- 
sons will give to it. He would then place the Concord 
first, and the Isabella third. He would substitute the 
Creveling if it could be obtained. It ripens 10 to 12 days 
earlier and is superior to the Isabella ; but he would not 
discard an old variety for one which is not generally in 
the market. He would name as those which promise 
well; Creveling, Allen's Hybrid, and Cuyahoga. There 
are others which he considers more promising than these, 
but they are not before the public. 
Mr. Field gave as his selection Delaware, Concord, 
and Hartford Prolific, and for particular localities, Diana, 
Catawba, and Isabella. 
Mr. Fuller named Delaware, Concord, and Harlford 
Prolific for genera! culture ; and for special localities, Cre- 
veling, Cuyahoga, and the Iona if it could be obtained. 
Mr. Carpenter gave Concord, Delaware, and Harlford 
Prolific as his choice. He put the Concord first, not be- 
cause it was a better grape than the Delaware, but be- 
cause it will bear neglect and make its own way, ripens 
in good season, and will flourish as far north as any grape 
will. As promising well, he would name Iona, Allen's 
Hybrid— would add Cuyahoga but fears it ripens too late, 
therefore substitutes Creveling. 
Mr. Cummings was surprised that no one bad mention- 
ed the Adirondac, which ripens early in a high latitude. 
It was answered that no one present had fruited it, and 
that it was not right to recommend varieties which had 
not been tested, or those monopolized by one seller. 
Dr. Ward recommended Concord, Delaware, and Diana. 
The Concord would grow- in any soil, will carry its fruit 
to perfection, has large bunches, is of fair quality for the 
table, and good for wine. Is already to he found in tin? 
market while, though he often visits the Washington mark- 
et, he never saw a bunch of the Delaw are on sale. While 
the Delaware would, with high culture, give a superior 
fruit, he preferred the Concord fur these reasons. Has 
had experience with the Isabella, cultivated and carefully 
trained a vineyard of 500 vines for 10 years, and it has 
never paid the original cost of the vines. He was tired 
of it. Objects to the Hartford Prolific as, without being 
earlier than the Concord, it requires careful pruning. 
Mr. Judd gave asa list for general culture, the Concord, 
Delaware and Diana. The Delaware was, from all ac- 
counts, the best flavored grape, and to be recommended. 
He named the Concord first in such a list, on account of 
