4,10 
AMERICAN AGEIOULTURIST. 
[November, 
■would be glad for such labors. Future genera- 
tions will rise up and call the planters blessed. 
Apples for Vinegar. — The high revenue 
tax upon whiskey has made a change in vine- 
gar making. When whiskey was at a low 
price, it was largely converted into vinegar, and 
cider vinegar was a rarity. Now Pomona 
claims her own again, and cider vinegar with 
all its superior aroma is in demand. Some 
apple growers find it more profitable to convert 
the greater part of their crop into vinegar in 
preference to barreling it as fruit. 
Mr. J. D. 6. Nelson, of Indiana, stated at the 
recent meeting of pomologists, at St. Louis, 
that he never allowed windfalls to remain on 
the ground in his orchard more than one day. 
This not only prevented the increase of insects, 
but the fruit being converted into vinegar 
yielded him profitable returns. Whenever ap- 
ples brought less than a dollar a bushel, he pre- 
ferred to make vinegar rather than sell the fruit. 
■» « ■ I II i fr »■ w T « ■ 
Clapp's Favorite Pear. 
This variety was at first extolled by some in a 
manner that seemed extravagant, and by others 
denounced as a nearly valueless addition to our 
list of fruits. It has proved to be nearly, if not 
quite, all its introducers claimed for it, and now 
that the trees may be obtained at comparatively 
moderate prices, we can commend it to those 
who wish to increase the number of their choice 
varieties. This pear originated in Dorchester, 
Mass., and is supposed to be a cross between 
All 
■1 
CLAPP'S favorite pear, 
the Bartlett and Flemish Beaut}'. The tree is a 
fine grower and strongly resembles the Flemish 
Beauty in habit. The fruit is of good size, 
somewhat resembling the Bartlett in shape, be- 
ing frequently broader at the neck than the one 
from which our drawing was taken. The skin, 
when fully ripe, is yellow, with a red shade on 
the sunny side, making it a very showy fruit. 
In quality it is much better than the Bartlett, 
being very sweet, and perfumed, without the dis- 
agreeable muskiness that variety so often has, and 
besides it ripens about a week or ten days earlier. 
A Raid Into Missouri, 
The meeting of the Pomological Society, at 
St. Louis, allowed those from the East to 
see something of Missouri as a fruit growing 
State. That many parts of the State present 
superior advantages for vine culture has been 
made known through the writings of Husmann, 
Munch, and others, but probably few were pre- 
pared to see other fruits in such perfection. We 
speak not only of the specimens on exhibition, 
but of the unselected fruit as we saw it in the 
markets, and on the trees in the orchards. 
A large party visited the fruit farm of E. R. 
Mason, Esq., at Webster Grove, about nine 
miles from St. Louis. The grapes were mainly in 
excellent condition, though some vines, as well as 
most of his apple and pear trees, had suffered 
from the attacks of grasshoppers. Concord, Crev- 
eling, Delaware, and other standard varieties, 
were grown for market, but the chief interest 
centered in his specimen vines of kinds less gen- 
erally known. We noticed particularly fine 
Alvey, Maxatawney, and Rogers' No. 4. The 
last named variety is properly regarded by 
Mr. Mason, as it is by most other growers, 
as one from which much is to be expected. 
The gentlemen who visited Mr. Mason gave 
expression to their gratification at his 
success in fruit culture, as well as to their 
appreciation of the hospitality with which 
they were entertained. Through the com- 
bined courtesies of Mr. Husmann and the 
Pacific R. R. Co., a party of nearly a hun- 
dred visited Hermann, which has long 
been known as one of the principal cen- 
ters of grape culture in this country. 
Hermann is about 80 miles from St. 
Louis, among the bluffs of the Missouri 
River, and seems to be a most favored 
spot for fruit growing. Were it not 
celebrated for its grapes, it would be for 
its peaches, and were its peaches less fine, 
we could sound the praises of its apples 
and pears. There may be such peaches 
elsewhere as grow at Hermann, but we 
k have yet to see them. Mr. Husmaun's 
|||, vineyards and wine cellars were duly 
IH^ inspected, nor were his orchards neglect- 
ed ; probably not since General Price 
visited Hermann, has there been such a 
raid upon its products. Mr. H.'s grape 
crop was generally good, his favorites, 
the Norton's Virginia and Concord, be- 
ing the leading varieties. Here, as at 
the other vineyards we visited, we made 
notes for future use. «Mr. Rommel's vine- 
wgff yard showed the finest crops of Norton 
wm and Catawba that we saw, and here were 
y also specimens of some new varieties. We 
visited also the grounds of Melchior Poe- 
schel, Poeschel & Scherer, and Mr. Lassal, 
where the grape was being successfully 
grown. A sail up the Missouri, then very 
low and full of snags, of sixteen miles, 
brought us to Bluffton, where a large tract of 
land has been secured by the Bluffton Wine 
Company. This company, of which Mr. Hus- 
mann is President, is composed of some of the 
responsible capitalists of the State, and has for 
its object the development of grape growing on 
eas)' term3 to actual settlers. It owns some of 
the best grape lands in the State, which are 
situated upon a singularly romantic portion of 
the river. Already extensive propagating houses 
are built, and the enterprise is being pushed 
with, energy. Of course, at a new place like 
this, matters were a little in the rough, but the 
exertions of Mr. Sam. Miller, the Superintendent, 
and Mr. Wesselhoft, the Agent, were equal to 
the disposal and care of a large party. 
The Ailanthus, Economically and Horti- 
culturally Considered, 
This journal has been one of the few, if not 
the only one, that has defended the Ailanthus 
from indiscriminate condemnation ; and we are 
glad to find that evidence in favor of our position 
is accumulating. We do not claim that it is the 
best tree to grow everywhere, but do hold that 
its merits — those of growing in the poorest soil, 
and of tenacity of life, are qualities that give it a 
real value in many places. Many j r ears ago the 
steep hills near Cincinnati were sown with 
Ailanthus by the direction of the late Nicholas 
Longworth. The prime object was to prevent 
the washing down of the hill-sides, which was 
accomplished, but another purpose was served. 
In a year of fuel famine, the growth afforded a 
most welcome supply of firewood to the poorer 
people who dwelt on the outskirts of the city, 
and this without interfering with the original 
object, as it is scarcely possible to kill an Ail- 
anthus by cutting it down — it rather likes it. 
Mr. J M. M'Cullough, nurseryman of Cin- 
cinnati, informs us that he depended upon 
the Ailanthus for fuel all one winter, and 
states that it burns readily when green or dry, 
with a bright cheerful flame, gives off a great 
deal of heat, and never throws out sparks. 
There is another use to which Mr. M'C. puts 
the wood, which is worth knowing — he finds it 
to make most excellent vineyard stakes. He 
says : " For grape stakes it should be cut when 
of suitable size, and allowed to season, and 
before setting, the part coming in contact 
with the ground should be well charred. 
When this is clone, its durability will compare 
favorably with any other grape stakes in use." 
A live Horticultural Society. 
We found a society of this stamp at Fort 
Wayne, Ind., and as it is managed very much 
to our taste, we hold it up as a model. It has 
about two hundred members, fruit growers and 
farmers of Fort Wayne and vicinity They have 
a reading-room, library, and lecture-room in the 
Court-house, where meetings are held weekly 
on Saturday afternoons. The exercises consist 
of essays or reports on horticultural topics, fol- 
lowed by discussions. A good collection of 
books has already been placed in the library, 
and steps have been taken to procure a collec- 
tion of birds, insects, etc., natives of the coun- 
try, that are injurious to the farmer and horti- 
culturist. They will be nicely prepared, named, 
classified, and arranged in cases, for the instruc- 
tion of members. The President of this Society 
is Hon. J. D. G. Nelson, and the Secretary is 
H. J. Rudissell. The average attendance at the 
meetings is about twenty-five, though in the 
winter, when farmers are at leisure, it is much 
larger. The influence of such a society, with its 
frequent meetings and exhibitions, in cultivat- 
ing the horticultural taste of a people, -must be 
happy, and we heartily wish that every city and 
