384 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[October, 
grass mowed several times a year and left upon 
tire ground. We visited the orchard on 
the same day that we did that of Mr. Pe¬ 
ters. Not a tree in it had a decent crop, 
is to cut, at the first appearance, down to sound 
wood, no matter if it takes the whole tree. Upon 
the supposition that the blight may he caused 
by a fungus—though it is only a speculation— 
We some months ago made a visit to the green- 
housesof Mr. C. S. Sargent, at Brookline, Mass., 
—an enthusiastic farmer, and a most accom¬ 
plished gardener. Mr. S. is a relative of Mr. Henry 
many trees were quite dead, and others just 
lingering. The orchard, which was at one time 
the finest in all that region, is now such a mel¬ 
ancholy wreck, that the Professor keeps the gate 
locked, and no one is allowed to enter, unless 
he desires to see an “ example and a warning.” 
The next most injurious thing to grass 
in a pear orchard, accoixling to the Penin¬ 
sular growers, is strawberries. 
They interfere with the growth 
of the trees to such a degree, that 
many think they “ poison the soil.” 
Raspberries and currants between 
the rows, as they demand and allow 
of cultivation, are less objection¬ 
able, but the general impression is, 
that no crops save annual ones, re¬ 
quiring j'early manuring and abun¬ 
dant working, should be tolerated 
in the pear orchard. Many, if not 
most of the orchards, are planted 
with alternate dwarfs and standards. 
Where the pear stock takes root 
this plan will answer, but dwarfs, 
kept as such, are not profitable 
in orchard culture; their place is 
in the amateur’s garden. The great 
drawback to pear culture is blight, 
which, like the rain, comes upon 
the just and the unjust—those who 
cultivate their orchards, aud those 
who neglect them. There is, we 
think, less blight in well-cultivated 
orchards than in others, but in the 
best kept it is sufficiently frequent 
as to cause great discouragement. 
A tree will one day be the picture 
of vigor, health, and fruitfulness, 
and the next a mass of blackened 
limbs, only fit to be cast into the fire. The 
ascribing this to fungus, electricity, etc., is only 
another way of acknowledging our ignorance. 
Some varieties seem to escape, and others to be 
particularly susceptible. The only thing to do 
the dead limbs should be burned. The only 
hope of the pear growers is that the blight may 
prove here, as it has in other places, periodic. 
Fine Specimen Greenhouse Plants. 
It is never amiss to have a high standard of 
excellence set before us, and those of our read¬ 
ers who have greenhouses, as well as those who 
have to content themselves with a few pots on 
a window-shelf, M ill be none the less eager 
in their endeavors, if they know what it is pos¬ 
sible to attain under the best circumstances. 
Winthrop Sargent, M'liose edition of Downing's 
Landscape Gardening is so n'ell known. 
The accompanying illustrations are from 
photographs taken in Mr. Sargent’s houses. 
Fig. 1 is a view in the Azalea house, where 
we saw over a hundred very fine specimens in 
bloom. The central plant is the Azalea Indica 
“ Decora,” M’hicli has been brought to its pres¬ 
ent perfection by about thirty years 
of careful training. An offer of 
$1,000 was made for it (and refused, 
of course) some years ago. The 
circumference of the head of this 
plant is fifteen feet, and its hight 
above the tub four feet and one inch. 
At the time of our visit, it was one 
mass of rose-colored bloom, like an 
immense bouquet; and in its setting 
of other colors, it M 7 as more gorgeous 
than we had supposed it possible 
for any plant to be. Figure 2 is a 
view of the fernery; and figure 3 of 
some of the central plants in the 
“ stove’’-house. The great number 
of plants M’ith fine foliage now in 
our collections allows the cultivator 
to keep up a brilliant appearance at 
all seasons, even when there are no 
flowers. Indeed, the leaves of the 
various Marantas, Caladiums, Allo- 
casias, Cyanophyllums, and plants 
of that character are so beautiful, 
that the absence of flowers is 
not noticed. These are only some 
of the items of an establishment 
where every thing is as nearly per¬ 
fect as it is possible for skill and 
attention to make it. Upon a scale 
of equal completeness with his 
greenhouses is Mr. Sargent’s dairy, which, al¬ 
though luxurious beyond the needs of com¬ 
mon farmers, combines several improvements 
well M r orthy of general adoption. The barn, 
aud the Jersey cattle, too, are v 7 ell worth a visit. 
Fig. 3.— PLANTS IN THE STOVE-HOUSE. 
