May, 1889. 
103 
ORCHARD 
GARDEN 
% 
that is left when the tree is burned; also 
some of the organic portion, as nitrogen 
and possibly some carbon also. Most, per- 
haps nearly all, of the oxygen and hydro- 
gen is taken up by the roots also. The 
roots support the tree upright in the soil 
and give it stability. The body supports 
the branches which carry the leaves which 
perform not as many suppose, lung power 
to the plant, but functions similar to those 
of the roots, the furnishing from the air of 
those parts which the root cannot supply. 
We now begin to see the complex nature 
of our study, and will after a little see how 
the delicate functions of each part may be 
destroyed and the whole structure fail from 
what we might possibly imagine to be from 
the effects of an attack of a contagious dis- 
ease. There are found in nature over sixty 
different component parts that compose the 
earth and all animal and plant life that ex- 
ists. In our present study we have to deal 
with only fourteen of them, of which four 
are gases which flow readily when free 
like air. .The remaining ten are solids at or- 
dinary temperatures. Nature usually sup- 
plies in abundance for plant growth all ex- 
cept three, nitrogen, phosphorus and po- 
tassium. 
To define the elements of plants in an 
ordinary way, we would say that carbon is 
the ordinary coal so familar to all readers, 
and phosphorus that part of the common 
friction match wliich appears luminous at 
night. Potassium is a light silver-like 
metal which forms the base of common 
patash, and is the caustic part of common 
woodash lje so familiar to all housewives. 
Oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen are less 
easily explained. They are, when pure, like 
in appearance to common air, which is com- 
posed of two of them, oxygen and nitrogen, 
with a portion of carbon combined. 
Common air is formed of 79 parts of ni- 
trogen and 21 of oxyger, each of which is 
free. Were the air formed of either one 
alone, animal life could not exist in it. Ni- 
trogen is a poisonous gas, or at least ani- 
mal life perishes speedily in it. Oxygen 
causes fire to bum and gives life to all. 
Hydrogen is a light inflammable gas that 
burns with a bluish flame with oxygen, and 
forms water, one Of the most abundant of 
all compounds. Chlorine is a greenish color- 
ed gas which rapidly destroys all colors and 
odors and is the. basis of the bleaching pow- 
er of chloride of lime. Sulphur all know 
as common brimstone. Magnesia as a com- 
mon medicinal powder. Iron is well known 
and needs no description. These, with a 
few minor ones and their various combina- 
tions form all the plant life with which we 
shall endeavor to deal. We may now in- 
telligently study the growth since we know 
the elements which compose it and the 
functions of each part of a growing, tree. 
The seed when planted and furnished with 
proper heat and moisture at once springs 
into life of the species from which it sprang 
inheriting most of its inherent qualities and 
habits. We shall continue this subject next 
month. — Eli Minch. 
ORCHARD NOTES. 
Bad Constitutions. 
It is quite as possible for a plant to be 
born with a bad constitution as an animal; 
and it is usually as difficult and as unpro- 
fitable to try to make anything of one as of 
the other. It is not always that the weaker 
growing seedlings or grafts are unsound in 
constitution. There are other reasons for a 
slow growth in the nursery; but it is a fact 
that taking them together the“Number two” 
trees and vines are a very unprofitable 
purchase to the planter. 
Russian Pears. 
The Bessemianka Pear (Ger.“Samenlose.” 
Eng. “Seedless,”) has gone through five 
winters, two of which were the coldest on 
record, in my grounds, without losing a 
bud. In each one of these winters, even 
the last, the thermometer has touched 40 
degrees below zero; and in the two worst it 
was as low as that fully half the nights in 
January and February. These five year 
planted trees are now seven to nine feet 
high, and will bloom the present season. I 
have younger trees of 15 other varieties, all 
of which Prof. Budd of Iowa calls hardier 
than Bessemianka. I have been trying for 
23 years everything called hardy among the 
older varieties of European and American 
pears, (including all the Maine and Western 
Vermont seedlings), with very little success; 
losing all of them in the two winters 
which left the Bessemianka unscathed. I 
have never yet seen the fruit of these new/ 
iron-clads; but from the account we have 
of them they will rate from “good” to “very 
good,” none quite reaching the standard 
of “best” under the classification of the 
American Pomological Society. But they 
will give an extension of pear-grow'ing at 
least 100 miles further northward. 
Boot Crafting; versus Budding;. 
A good many horticultural prejudices, 
brought over from the old country, have 
died out during the past 30 years, and oth- 
ers are following. It was some time before 
root grafting the apple was looked upon as 
quite aproper proceeding;while forpearsand 
all the stone fruits budding was universal. It 
is not a great while since those who root 
grafted their apples would cut them back 
to a strong bud near the ground the second 
season, merely to give the trees the appear- 
ance of having been budded. Though done 
for that purpose at first, the practice re- 
commends itself on other grounds, as giv- 
ing a stronger, straighter and more vigor- 
ous stem for branching the third season. 
There is a ground of objection urged 
against apple root grafting, that it is infer- 
ior to top-grafting on hardy stocks for 
slightly tender varieties, like the Baldwin 
in Middle New England. But this objec- 
tion is as strong against low budding as 
against root grafting. 
After root grafting had become establish- 
ed as a legitimate method for the apple, it 
was still regarded as utterly inapplicable to 
the pear; while as to the plum and cherry, 
no one thought it possible as a practical op- 
eration. But recent experiences have 
shown me that as fine pear trees can be 
grown from root grafts as in any other way; 
while with plums and cherries, when both 
roots and cions are dormant, or even when 
not, if both stock and cion are in a like con- 
dition, union is rapid and complete, and 
growth luxuriant, under proper conditions. 
At least, I am finding this true with the 
Russian and North German varieties; and 
the same report comes from Prof. Budd 
of the Iowa Agricultural College. Small 
(yearling) stocks are best suited to this 
method of propagation. — T. H. Hoskins. 
The Kelsey Plum in Texas. 
As I see the hardiness of Kelsey’s Japan 
plum is being discussed in your journal, 
a few lines giving my experience with that 
variety may not be amiss. 
I have Kelseys four year old this winter; 
with me they are very strong growers, have 
never been injured by cold, and have 
borne two heavy crops of fruit, in fact the 
trees overbore each year and now they are 
full of blossoms just opening, with every 
indication of bearing another heavy crop. 
I measured plums gathered from my trees 
that were 2% inches in diameter, and the 
flavor is very good, but I find one serious 
fault with this otherwise most desirable 
plum. They ripen up very slowly and irregu- 
lar. Mine begin ripening in July and continue 
ripening until September, and as this is our 
hot, dry season, they often shrivel and rot 
badly; last year fully two-tliirds of my crop 
rotted. If the fruit would ripen up proper- 
ly, they would be the grandest thing in the 
plum line that I have ever seen. — David H. 
Watson, Washington Co., Tex. 
Ink for Zinc Labels. 
A legible and permanent black ink for 
labels may be made as follows: Verdigris, 
one ounce; sal ammoniac, one ounce; lamp 
black, half an ounce; rain water, half a 
pint. Mix in an earthenware mortar or jar 
and put up in small bottles. To be shaken 
before use and used with a clean quill pen 
on bright zinc. 
Nursery Terms. 
A correspondent asks us to explain the 
terms “Maiden,” “Feathered” and “Pyra- 
mid” as used in nurseries in connection 
with the description of fruit trees. Pyra- 
mid relates to their form, and conical 
would perhaps be a better word ; they are 
dwarf and possess a stem of from 3 to 6 ft. 
or more in height, well branched, broad at 
base and tapering to the top. Feathered 
means that the trees are furnished with 
short side branches all around the stem. 
Maiden refers to the age of the trees, being 
applied mostly to those of one year old. 
Catarrh Cored. 
A clergyman, after years of suffering from that loath- 
some disease. Catarrh, and vainly trying every known 
remedy, at last found a recipe which completely cured 
and saved him from death. Any sufferer from this dread 
ful disease sending a self addressed stamped envelope 
to Prof. J. A. Lawrence, 88 Warren St., New York City, 
will receive the recipe free of charge.— Adi. 
