THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
183 
.subjects, the fruit being regularly distributed 
over the branches, and of very uniform size. I 
was so much pleased with this variety when it 
first came to my notice, that 1 despatched a spe- 
cial messenger from the city of New York, to 
the owner of the original tree in Westchester 
county, for half a bushel of the pears ; and I did 
not regret the expense of twelve and a half dol- 
lars, when I consider the acquisition of such a 
fine American variety. My Beurre Diels were 
then in eating, and 1 judged the Columbia of 
equal quality; since which, however, 1 have 
seldom seen it so good. Ripens about the first 
of January; of a clear lemon yellow, very 
handsome, and may be kept two or three weeks 
in this state. Its beauty will give it a ready 
sale, and its quality and its merits, on the whole, 
if not as high as our first impression, will prove 
perfectly satisfactory. 
4. Glout Morceau. — This pear, under the 
name of Beurre d’Aremberg, is more univer- 
sally cultivated in France, as a winter fruit, 
than any other variety. It is truly an excellent, 
rich, sugary pear, and is not unworthy of the 
appellation given it, The tree is hardy, a great 
and constant bearer; but it requires, like most 
pears, good cultivation. Few varieties succeed 
so well on the quince as the Glout Morceau ; a 
tree of which, in my own ground, annually 
produces a barrel of large perfect fruit; this is 
clear waxy yellow, and very handsome at ma- 
turity ; keeps into the winter months, with ordi- 
oary care; commands as good a price in the 
market, and is esteemed by many equal to the 
Beurre d’xlremburg. It varies much in form. 
In growth, k is more luxuriant on the quince ; 
the large specimens frequently having a very 
thick, short stem, set angularly on the fruit, 
with the peculiar knobby appearance of the d’- 
Aremberg. On the pear stock, and under me- 
dium cultivation, the stem is smooth and 
straight, as figured by Thompson in the Gar- 
dener’s Chronicle, and Downing in the Fruits 
and Fruit Trees of America. From this cir- 
cumstance, the present subject has been con- 
founded with the Beurre d’Aremberg. Season, 
December and January. 
5 Passe Colmar. — As a hardy, vigorous, 
excellent near, the Passe Colmar has few su- 
periors. It is prolific to a fault, and requires 
j udicious managemer t. To insure fruit cor- 
responding to its character in the Catalogue of 
the London Horticultural Society, “ first size, 
and first quality,” it is necessary to commence 
the trimming process as early in the season as 
the best specimens can be distinguished, or the 
pruning out of half the fruit-bearing spurs in 
the month of March, as recommended by the 
late Mr. Manning, will contribute to relieve the 
tree of its overbearing propensity. The French 
make two varieties of this pear, viz: Passe 
Colmar gr is, and Passe Colmar (lore. 1 have 
never discovered any difference in the fruit of 
these trees, that only which is exposed to the 
sun, having the golden color alluded to, the 
beauty of which is sometimes with us further 
enhanced by a red cheek. 
This tree makes long weeping branches, and 
frequently sets a second crop of fruit, which 
should always be removed. 
Ripens gradually from November to Febru- 
ary, but may be kept later, large and beautiful 
soecimens having been received by me from 
New Bedford, as the Colmar d'Hiver, on the 
iSth day of March. 
Without the adoption of the system of cul- 
ture here recommended, this variety will gene- 
rally prove unsatisfactory. 
An inquiry Will no doubt arise in the minds 
of some of our readers, why the Easter Beurre 
has not found a place in the above list. Mv 
answer is, that although we obtain some speci- 
mens of first-rate excellence, yet this variety 
has generally proved s) variable and uncertain 
that it cannot Irom our experience at present, be 
recomnendel for general disse.nination. It 
ho A'ever succeeds better on the quince. 
Respectfully yours, 
Marshall P. Wilder. 
Bosfoti^June 1, 1816. 
From the Maine Farmer. 
Importance of Knowledge to the Farmer. 
There is no branch of business within our 
knowledge which requires, lor its most success- 
ful prosecution, so great an amount of scienti- 
fic information as farming. The practical far- 
mer has something to do in all the grand de- 
partments ol nature — in the vegetable, animal 
and mineral kingdoms — with organic and inor- 
ganic matter. It has been remarked, with strict 
truth perhaps, that all the energy of the Hero, 
and all the science of the Philosopher, may 
find scope in the cultivation of one farm ! And 
it would indeed require all this energy and sci- 
ence to bring the majority of the farms about 
us from their present condition to the highest 
state of excellence of which they are suscepti- 
ble. 
The farmer goes forth among the works of 
God, and into the garden of the Creator to dress 
it and to keep it. With all natural objects and 
changes about him he should endeavor to be- 
come familiar. Almost every science, as geol- 
ogy, meteorology and entomology, may afford 
him assistance in his labors. The highly suc- 
cessful farmer cannot be ignorant. He must 
be a man of science, industry and good judg- 
ment. There is no danger of his knowing too 
much for his business; and he can scarcely en- 
large the circle of his knowledge in any direc- 
tion without thereby gathering something which 
is calculated to render him more successful in 
his occupation. In order to be eminently suc- 
cessful, it is necessary tor him thoroughly to 
understand the nature of his own soil, and its 
capabilities. He should know in what ingre- 
dients it is deficient, and what it has in excess 
— how to render it fertile, and howto maintain 
its fertility. He should also know what crops 
are best adapted to the peculiarities ol his soil 
and situation — the best method of cultivating 
them, and the cheapest and most suitable dress- 
ing for them. He should have such a know- 
ledge of the diseases to which the different kinds 
of plants he cultivates are subject as will ena- 
ble him to take that course which is best calcu- 
lated to avoid them. He should also be able as 
much as possible to preserve his crops from the 
ravages of destructive insects, and this he can- 
not do without some knowledge of their habits 
and peculiarities. Of none of these subjects 
can the farmer well afford to be ignorant, for 
oftentimes upon his knowledge of these things 
depends the fruits of his labors; and it may re- 
quire years of careful study and observation to 
obtain this knowledge w'hieh is so important in 
the business of agriculture. 
In every department of his business he has 
need of thorough information and the careful 
deductions of experience. For instance, in the 
selection of a farm, if he has occasion to pur- 
chase one, perhaps a thousand things are to be 
taken into consideration besides soil and situa- 
tion; and an ignorant person is not qualified to 
select the best lot on every account Irom a do- 
zen. If he has taken wildland, clearings are 
to be made; and how can this work be done at 
the least expense and so as not to impoverish 
the soil? Much fertilizing matter, lor which 
many farms are now suffering, has been wast- 
ed for want of knowledge in this particular on 
the part of those who first settled upon them, 
it die takes a farm which has been badly ma- 
naged and in consequence has become unpro- 
ductive, he has need of knov/ledge to direct 
him in the right way of reclaiming it and re- 
storing it to productiveness. The w'ork ot re- 
claiming a ‘ worn out’ farm is at best a difficult 
one, and to the ignorant farmer it is generally 
hopeless. With such it is emphatically an 
up-hill business, and in many instances it has 
brought on a fever which has carried the farm- 
er far away from the home of his youth. 
His farm is to be stocked. What proportion 
of each of the different kinds should he keep? 
What breeds are best adapted to his purposes? 
How are his animals to be bred and managed 
so as not to deteriorate? How may they be 
improved? To succeed in this branch of bu- 
siness, he must not be ignorant of their nature 
and habits, or of the diseases to which they are 
liable, and their remedies. 
He must plow and cultivate. In choosing 
suitable tools, and in using ttem properly, a 
knowledge of the general principles of mecha- 
nics would not come amiss. 
He needs a team; this must be reared and 
trained, and kept in working condition. And 
V hat animals are best fitted tor the business of 
his farm? How should they be managed? 
His land must be manured. What ingredi- 
ents are needed 1 Ho w can they be most readily 
obtained, and how most profitably ap^ilied ? 
What crops are most profitable, taking into 
consideration the cost of cultivating and mar- 
keting, his situation, and the nature of his soil ? 
The knowledge of the good farmer must ba 
extensi/eand accurate; and if he has an in- 
quiring, observing mind, he will be a learner 
lor life. 1 he acme of agricultural improve- 
ment has not yet been attained. The farm 
cannot be found which may not be improved by 
industry and knowledge. And the wisest men 
among us probably have not knowledge enough 
to cultivate even one small farm in the best 
manner possible — to draw out all its resources, 
and to bring it to the highest state of produc- 
tiveness. The farmer should strive to make 
progress in his business — in the managementof 
his farm he should always be going on “from 
good to better.” 
From the Georgia Journal, 
Use of Lime* 
Mr. Editor— Believing that the following 
may be of service to Farmers, I feel it my duty 
to let ihera know it. The question is frequent- 
ly asked me, why it is that the worm never in- 
jures my cotton, whilst that of my neighbors is 
ruined ? And why it is that 1 raise more wheat 
to the acre, and that no disease or insect ever 
affects it? lean only say that it is from the 
free use of Lime. For several years past, I 
have used Lime as a manure on my wheat and 
cotton — on my wheat by sowing it broad cast, 
and on my cotton 'ey putting it in the drill. I 
used from two to three barrels of Lime to the 
acre. I find that the abundance it produced by 
the use of Lime, over and above what it other- 
wise would produce, more than paid me for the 
money advanced for the Lime the first year, 
not saying any thing about the advantage to be 
derived from the same lime foryears after wards, 
as a manure, as it becomes impregnated in the 
land, and takes years for it to become wasted; 
and also the fact ofits being a preventive of in- 
sects and diseases of all kinds. Why it is that 
it prevents the worm and insects, is for others to 
answer, who know the properties of lime better 
than I do. This year my neighbor L -’s 
cotton field adjoined mine, nothing but a fence 
between; his crop was partially destroyed with 
the worm, whilst mine was not injured. The 
worm attacked my cotton at the same time, but 
soon disappeared without doing any injury. 
This has been the case for several years, ever 
since i have used lime, whilst my neighbor 
L — " used none. I have had the same de- 
monstrations in my wheat, which has forced 
me to believe that it was from the use of lime. 
There is no doubt but that the lime goes farth- 
er, and answers the same purpose, by using it 
with muck, peat, or compost, but I have been 
so well paid by using the raw lime that I have 
never tried it any other way. My lime has cost 
me one dollar and fifty cents per barrel, I be- 
lieve that it could and ought to be furnished for 
less, but Farmers can well afford to pay one 
dollar and filty cents for lime as a manure, at 
least this is my experience. Yours, respect- 
tully, David L. P. McLanb. 
FayellevilLe, Ga,, Oct. 4, 1846. 
The vintages throughout the whole of Europe 
(England not excepted,) have this season yield- 
ed a supply of grapes which, for quantity as 
well as quality, has perhaps never been equal- 
led, or at all events excelled, in the present gen- 
eration. 
