editor’s table. 
161 
®iritor’0 Sabk. 
The Fruits of America ; by C. M. Hovey, editor 
of the Magazine of Horticulture, containing richly- 
colored engravings, accompanied with the wood and 
foliage, of all the choicest fruits in the United States. 
From paintings from nature, made expressly for this 
work, by W. Sharp, chromo-lithed and retouched un¬ 
der his direction. The letter-press to contain a full 
description of the fruits, the habit of growth of the 
trees, color of the wood, and form of the leaves. 
The synonymes under which each variety is known, 
the origin and period of introduction, and all other 
particulars of importance to the Pomologist. Boston: 
C. C. Little & J. Brown, 112 Washington st., and 
Hovey & Co., 1 Merchants’ Row. 
The increased attention which, within a few years, 
has been given to Pomology , and the desire to obtain 
the post correct information in regard to the choicest 
varieties of Fruit, seem to demand a work of the cha¬ 
racter now announced. The recent publications de¬ 
voted to the subject, as well as the many valuable 
articles in the horticultural periodicals of the day, in 
reference to it,—illustrated as they have been with out¬ 
line engravings of fruits,—have done much to spread 
a better knowledge of the many varieties which have 
been brought to notice,—to facilitate the detection of 
synonymes,—and to establish a more correct nomen¬ 
clature. 
But experience has shown, that, to arrive at safe and 
certain conclusions, a reliance cannot be placed upon 
outline engravings, or descriptions of the fruit alone; 
and the great errors which have been the cause of so 
much disappointment to the ardent pomologist, might 
have, in most instances, been prevented, had cultivators 
made themselves acquainted with the habit of the 
trees, the color of the wood, or the form of the leaves. 
They are, indeed, in some instances, more to be relied 
upon than single specimens of the fruit alone ; and an 
experienced cultivator can at once detect, at any season 
of theyear, a great portion of the well known varieties 
of fruit. These characteristics have been considered, 
with many, as of secondary importance ; but since the 
rapid multiplication of new sorts, we believe they will be 
found quite essential to aid in the detection of synonymes, 
and the distinction of varieties. But while engravings, 
merely have their value, they do not convey to the 
pomologist that general knowledge of fruits which he 
often wishes to acquire; such as the color or relative, 
beauty of the different varieties; some of the most 
choice being off-very inferior appearance, while others, 
less excellent, possess a beauty which often renders 
them worthy a place in every good collection. 
The introduction of new fruits is a subject full of 
exciting interest to every pomologist; and the earliest 
information is eagerly sought in regard to the many 
varieties which are yearly introduced from abroad, or 
produced at home. To the horticultural works of the 
uay, the cultivator will refer for brief accounts of these; 
but it will be the object of this work to give correct 
drawings, and full descriptions of the select few , especi¬ 
ally those of American origin, as soon as they have 
been proved to possess qualities which entitle them to 
general cultivation. 
To supply to the fruit cultivator this desideratum, will 
be the object of this work. It will contain richly 
colored illustrations of fruits, accompanied with the 
wood and leaves, from paintings made expressly for it, 
tinder the direction of the author; and, with the text, 
an outline engraving of every variety; accompanied, 
when important, with sketches of the habit of the trees; 
leaving nothing which can, in any way, assist the 
amateur cultivator, or nurseryman,: in the identifica¬ 
tion of the numerous varieties, or furnish him with the 
tullest information in regard to their merits. 
The work will appear in royal octavo numbers (uni¬ 
form in size with Audubon’s Birds of America), and 
will contain four plates each, with eight pages of letter- 
press, on the finest paper, and in beautiful type; the 
original paintings executed by that distinguished artist, 
W. Sharp, chromo-lithed and retouched under his eye. 
The text will give all the synonymes under which each 
variety is known, its origin, when to be ascertained, its 
period of introduction, with an accurate description of 
the habit of the tree, wood, leaves, flowers, and fruit, 
the period of ripening, and all other particulars worthy 
of note. The whole, with a few exceptions in the 
early numbers, from specimen trees in the extensive 
collection of the author, where their comparative merits, 
in the same soil and locality, can be correctly estimated. 
The plates will not be numbered or paged, but left 
with a blank No., so that each class of fruit may be 
bound up by itself, arranged alphabetically, according 
to the season of ripening, or in any other way, when 
the work is completed, or together as issued, at the 
option of subscribers. Twelve numbers will complete 
a volume. 
The first number of this elegant work has been issued 
and contains descriptions and colored figures of the fol¬ 
lowing varieties of fruit, viz.:—Beurre d’Aremberg 
Pear, Glout Morceau Pear, Van Mons Leon le Clerc 
Pear, and the Baldwin Apple. In our judgment, the 
design of the work is thus filr carried out and its exe¬ 
cution is unequalled by any similar publication in the 
world. A work of this character has long been needed 
in this country, and should be liberally encouraged. 
Terms .—In royal octavo, richly colored at $1 per 
number, payable on delivery. A limited number of 
impressions in imperial quarto, very highly finished, 
$2 per number. Subscriptions received by C. M. 
Saxton, 205 Broadway, N. Y. 
Crops of the United States. —The Washington 
Era contains an estimate, taken from the letter of the 
Secretary of the Treasury, of December 10, 1846, of 
the quantity of each of the following staples, raised in 
the United States during the year 1846, with the value 
of each production, according to the prices they bore in 
this market on the 1st of December last, viz.: 
Cotton.—760,000,000 pounds, worth <$73,150,000 
Oats—179,528,800 bushels, “ 69,567,410 
Rice—97,741,500 pounds, “ 3,786,483 
Barley—5,676,600 bushels, “ 3,434,343 
Rye—59,892,500 “ “ 23,465,612 
Wheat—117,202,800 “ “ 121,011,891 
Indian Corn-450,666,900 bus. “ 314,871,820 
$009,287,559 
Profitable Farming. —At a late meeting of the 
Massachusetts Legislative Agricultural Society, E. H. 
Derby, Esq., of Boston, said that he had given some 
attention to farming, and was reared in the country 
amidst merino sheep, which his father imported from 
Spain. Some years ago, he bought a farm on an 
island in Lake Winnipissiogee, N. H. It was carried 
on by an agent who had lived on it several years. At 
first he gave the agent and his wife $200 a year, then 
$250, and afterwards two cents a pound on the butter 
he made, one cent a pound on the cheese, and one cent 
on the pork he raised, exclusive of their board. He 
purchased the farm for $2,100, and paid out for stock¬ 
ing it $1,700 more, amounting in all to $3,800. The 
sales, he said, had sometimes been as high as $1,700 
or $1,800 a year. Some years he got little or no profit, 
while in others he cleared from 15 to 20 per cent., ac¬ 
cording to the season. On an average he got good per¬ 
centage, and after nine or ten years he sold the farm 
for $2,800, with the view of buying one near Boston, 
to which he could retire in the summer for the benefit 
of his children. When his agent first came to the 
farm he was worth about $800 or $900—when he left 
it he was worth $9,000 or $10,000! 
