m 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
bad luck to themselves and show only the fair side of the 
picture to the world, I like to show the rocks in thechan- 
»el through which I have sailed. 
Now for a few more particulars. I have become hope- 
ful of the “American Golden Russet,” (of Downing), and 
as I have not seen it described in your paper, I will give 
you a description. I have but one tree^ — planted in the 
spring of 1849 — soil thin, on haid red clay — never plowed 
— only loosened with a pick— mulched — a little old lime, 
ashes and hen manure from time to time. The tree grows 
to a perfectly formed trunk and top, is perfectly healthy 
— not over grown — leaf broad and dark green — bore a few 
apples in 1852, a peck in 1853, more in 1854 and in 1855 
so heavily loaded that I had to pick off many, this year 
it hangs as full as any tree ought. The apple is of a 
medium size — color lighter russet than the English and 
its flavor entirely different — ^juicy — mellow — mildly acid 
with a vinous flavor much resembling a juicy pear. I 
think it, when in perfection, certainly not inferior to any 
that I have tasted here. But— but— how dreadful the im- 
port of that little word. As I said about another good 
apple — it is hard to catch a specimen of fruit in perfec- 
tion. The worms take it early and late and generally the 
sun scalds and rots its surface. I have picked them from 
September 1 to 15, and kept them in a common room two 
or three weeks to ripen. This year I try a cellar, six de- 
grees cooler in midday than the coolest place above, 
I by no means recommend this apple for cultivation, 
because of the objections above stated. But as it is a most 
delicious fruit, I hope that others may experiment with it, 
if it has not already been done sufficiently, until its value 
or worthlessness shall be fully ascertained. 
“ Large Yellovj Bough.” — This tree bore for the first 
time last year, having been stunted in its early growth. 
It bore a few again this year — fruit fair to view and free 
from worms; but so far, with me, worthless. I recog- 
nize in it, by the appearance and flavor, the apple that a 
quarter of a century ago was called, in New York, the Har- 
vest Sweeting. I watched it last year and this, as a cat 
does a mouse, and caught it and tasted it at every stage of 
its ripening. Pick it green and entirely firm —its seeds are 
white and its flesh tough and insipid. When a little 
furtheradvanced so that it slightly yields to pressure, after 
from two to four days keeping it becomes mellow — tastes 
slightly like a ghost of other days; but still unfit to eat. 
Other specimens by that time are decayed throughout — 
all worthless. ButI shall keep my trees a few years longer. 
I thought I had the early Harvest. T bought it for that of 
A. Saul, occupying Dowmng's garden ; but from repeated 
and close comparison 1 believe it is the Yellow Bough — 
another misfortune. 
“Yellovj Belle Fleur.” — Had one tree which bore a few 
apples in 1852 — picked September 1 — ripe the 15th— a 
splendid fruit — mellow, crisp— delicious flavor — ripened 
well in the house — corresponds fully with Downing's des 
cription. But unfortunate again, the tree has never borne 
since. The wooly aphis took it in charge, and though 1 
fought and vanquished them above ground, they were 
too much forme below; and now the poor tree is breath- 
ing its last. I have its young, however, coming forward, 
I hope not to the same fate. 
‘^Ladij Apple.” — This tree never thrived — sickly — sever- 
al limlis dried, having worms in their pith. The trunk 
was burned to death by the sun, and in lh'53 I dug it up 
and found the root.s much infested by the wooly aphis. 
'F/ipllsh Golden Pippin” never thrived, hue in 1852-3 
bore large crops of worthless apples of the .size of hickory 
nuts. In the spring of J854 it died — woolly aphis abun- 
dant at the roots — none in the tree — trunk at surface of 
ground dead — trunk and limbs green. 
“ This tree died suddenly, August 1st 
1855, and now I pay a just tribute of praise to its memeny. 
It was from the first a healthy, vigorous, pretty tree — never 
saw a worm, or a louse or a dead limb on it — its leaves 
were bright and green, and its bark fresh and lively. It 
bore a few apples in 1854, and it did the same last year; 
but while the fruit was ripening, fair, large and beautiful, 
I perceived here and there a yellow leaf, which day after 
day increasing, induced me to make a critical examina- 
tion. I found the trunk, about six inches above and below 
tne surface of the ground, entirely dead evenly all around. 
At the same time the bark of the trunk and limbs was 
lively and green ; and wood perfectly fresh above the 
dead belt, as were the roots below. The latter, however, 
were badly infested with the aphis. The trunk had been 
entirely protected, from the sun and the dead portion was 
entirely unlike other trees affected by the sun. This 
kind of dying was most singular. I picked the apples 
and the next day eat and compared them with some of 
the most perfect Horse Apples that I ever tasted and pro- 
nounced the Gravenstein decidedly the best. I am nurs- 
ing a young tree of the kind very carefully, that will bear 
next year. 
I cut the dead portion of that tree into small pieces, but 
could discover no indications of the cause of its death, 
other than I have above detailed. It is certain that no- 
thing was ever applied to the root, to injure it. One of 
my Mangum trees died in nearly the same way. 
Windsor. 
Atlanta, July 185C. 
Remarks. — Our friend should try for early ripening, the 
Red A$tracho.n, Carolina, June, Julioni, and Early Har- 
vest, and for late keepers nothing but Southern Seedlings, 
such as the Carter, Nickajack, Shockley, Oconee and 
Carolina Greening, We know of but few 
Northern Apples thatare of any value at all in the South, 
and none that can be relied upon for winter use. "We 
trust that our Pomological writers and societies will cause 
this matter to be distinctly understood, and that Southern 
Fruit Growers will hereafter rely upon our own native 
seedlings, which can now be abundantly supplied by all 
Southern Nurserymen, — Eds. So, Cult. 
SOITTHEEN FRUIT TREES BEST. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — It gives me much 
pleasure in these days of humbugs to endorse every im- 
provement calculated to be of benefit to our community, 
and I have for sometime wished to pay Mr Van BuRENa 
compliment, not on account of his name but the good he 
is doing for the fruit raisers of the South. 1 say this be- 
cause I know his course is correct from experience. 
Southern Seedling Apples selected in the South are the 
kind for us, and but few other winter varieties will do. 
We have tried the Northern kinds for many years v/ithout 
success — the most of them rot before matured — and many 
never produce their kind, fop instance a very firm apple 
that comes to perfection in Tenne.ssee called the Limber 
Twig does not produce its kind in Alabama; it does not 
get larger than an egg and remains green on the tree and 
never npens My lather being so well pleased with this 
Apple in Tennessee when he removed to Alabama sent 
fur grafts and set out in his or iharr] more of this kind 
than any other, and they brought iarth an apple in Ala- 
bama not as good as a persimon. I have tried rnyf-elfin 
iVi.ssissippi in my orchard of near four hundred trees rT' '''_y 
of the best Nortnerri winter Apples and all have f .iled. 
And 1 now have but one kind that can be relied upon ar 3 
that was produced from the seed in Tuskaloosa ceuuty, 
Ala., by Major Thomas Hogg, and goes by the name of 
