146 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
cultivated. Beets are merely transplanted upon 
the stubble of the winter grain. Buckwheat 
is sown as a second crop, and comes to maturity. 
The largest farms, or to speak more correctly 
the largest lots, cultivated by the peasants, con¬ 
sist of from 150 to 175 acres. They keep no 
flocks of sheep, and the full grown cattle are 
kept in the stable during almost the entire year. 
I observed some of the farmsteads owned by 
peasants, the buildings of which consist of four 
large structures, enclosing a square court-yard. 
Three of these wings, consist of one or some¬ 
times two stories, with from eight to twelve 
entrances, as many doors as windows. 
These farmers consider it one of the most im¬ 
portant points, to secure very fine stallions to do 
the work of the farm. For these they pay about 
$250 each. 
The roads and the walks in the vicinity, are 
bordered with fine fruit trees. I have observed 
in their gardens Espalier fruit trees, vines trained 
on trellises, and a profusion of choice flowers. 
I had scarcely time to visit the splendid mon¬ 
astery of Floriau. A fine farm is attached on 
which a number of cows are kept. These are 
of a white color, and generally tall, and were 
introduced from Styria. The best, when newly 
calved, give twenty quarts of milk per day. 
NEW-YORK HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The regular monthly meeting of this Society 
was held at their rooms, No. 600 Broadway, on 
Monday evening, Nov. 7th, Mr. J. Grosiion pre¬ 
siding. 
Martin Collopy, gardener to Mr. J. H. Pren¬ 
tice, Brooklyn, L. I., exhibited six plants of 
dwarf, or Pompone Chrysanthemums. The 
specimens though not well furnished below, 
were well bloomed, and were much admired by 
those present. A premium was awarded them. 
J. W. Wood, florist, Carmanville, exhibited 
a neat hand bouquet, made up of Chrysanthe¬ 
mum flowers. The compact form and the dif¬ 
ference of color to be found among the dwarf 
sorts, renders them very appropriate for bou¬ 
quets, superior in this respect to the large vari¬ 
eties, and we expect to see them much cultivated 
for this purpose. By attention to the proper 
arrangement of the numerous varieties, a choice 
bouquet may be formed of this class of flowers 
alone, which is a desideratum at this season, 
when variety in the flower garden is not to be 
looked for. 
The minutes of the last meeting were read 
and adopted; after which the committee ap¬ 
pointed to consider the subject of getting up 
1 ectures or debates and conversational meetings, 
reported; that they considered it inexpedient in 
the present circumstances of the Society, to get 
up a course of lecture, but believed that in¬ 
formal meetings for conversation or debate on 
matters connected with the objects of the So¬ 
ciety would be desirable, and would furnish 
much valuable information, which could be re- 
c orded by the Society ; and they recommended 
that steps be taken to carry out the object. A 
committee of three was appointed to make the 
necessary arrangements. 
A resolution appropriating $200 for payment 
of the expenses of late exhibition was recon¬ 
sidered, and afterwards passed. A resolution 
authorizing the librarian to refund the money 
in his hands, to the treasurer for the use of the 
Society, was also passed. 
A committee was appointed by the chair to 
nominate officers for the ensuing year. 
After some conversation respecting those 
members who had not paid their dues for the 
current year, and the election of several new 
members, the Society adjourned to Monday, 28th 
of November, at which time the Nominating 
Committee will report a list of officers for elect¬ 
ion. 
FRUIT CULTIVATION. 
. Fruit, cultivation is securing an increasing 
amount of attention. The large returns which 
are realized from this branch of husbandry have 
attracted the attention of enterprising land¬ 
holders, and fruit farms are becoming quite 
common in different parts of the country. A 
great reform has been effected in the choice of 
sorts suited to certain localities; but as expe¬ 
rience is only to be obtained by actual trial, 
many have lately resolved to experiment for 
themselves, and the amount of reliable informa¬ 
tion must increase rapidly. Such as have in¬ 
formed themselves by practical tests, are gen- 
erall} r found ready to furnish information to the 
public, and by this means much has been done 
to advance fruit growing within the last few 
years. The novice is generally at a loss when 
he comes to the selection of the varieties of the 
fruits best suited to his peculiar circumstances, 
and must depend on some adviser or dealer for 
this essential information. On the part of the 
nurseryman there should not be any disposition 
to deceive, unless, as is sometimes urged, the 
desire to dispose of certain worthless varieties 
which have accumulated on his hands, out¬ 
weighs other and more important considerations. 
The period will soon arrive when such trees only 
will be found in quantities in our nurseries, as 
are known to be valuable, either for general cul¬ 
tivation or in certain localities, then there can 
be no hesitation to entrust the selection to re¬ 
spectable dealers, and even now such men will 
not permit a paltry selfish spirit to influence 
them. The fair dealer must find it his interest 
to propagate only such trees as will give perma¬ 
nent satisfaction to the purchaser; and although 
at times, errors may occur in the naming of 
fruits, it cannot be a profitable course to issue 
inferior sorts with the character of superior 
ones, even at a little higher price. 
The standard fruits for the different localities 
and soils of the country will soon be familiar to 
all who are in the least interested in the matter, 
and every season will add to the stock of know¬ 
ledge. Most persons know the Bartlett to be a 
first class pear; it may vary in size and flavor 
under difference of soil and treatment, but it is 
pronounced suitable for general cultivation, and 
is becoming almost universally known. The 
result is that a stock will be kept on hand by 
all nurserymen, while other more doubtful sorts 
will be diminished in proportion. The Seckel, 
though inferior in size, is so superior in flavor 
as to be a general favorite, and when pains are 
taken it is evident that its size may be greatly 
increased, as specimens lately exhibited at sev¬ 
eral exhibitions have clearly proved. Louise 
bonne de Jersey is also well known; in both 
size and flavor it holds a prominent place in the 
list, and is now very largely cultivated; even 
three sorts of undoubted value which scarcely 
require recommendation is a point gained. But 
many first-rate sorts could be named, about 
which there is almost equal unanimity of opin¬ 
ion. Glout Morceau is a favorite, and Blood- 
good though small, is a very choice variety. 
Dearborn’s Seedling ranks amongst the best, 
and Vicar of Winkfield is surpassed by very 
few. Madeleine, as an early summer pear is 
well known, and is prized perhaps more on this 
account than for its superiority in other respects. 
In making a selection of twelve, suited to the 
different seasons, four of undoubted superiority 
may be obtained of each class, without any dif¬ 
ficulty. Unanimity of opinion in such cases 
need not be expected amongst the most experi¬ 
enced cultivators. Each has some peculiar fancy 
for one or other variety, and it seldom happens 
that an inquirer who may consult several indi¬ 
viduals of acknowledged experience, will find 
them agreeing. For this reason published lists 
of choice sorts are not relied on, to any extent. 
Apples are a little better known than pears, and 
though many valuable additions have been made 
to the tested varieties, we find a few old sorts 
still cultivated to the exclusion of the new ap¬ 
plicants for favor. Newtown Pippin, Rhode 
Island Greening, Fall Pippin, Bough, Early Har¬ 
vest, Spitzenburg, Vandervcre, Baldwin, and a 
few others predominate in this section; there 
are many others which merit attention, and 
which will gradually be introduced to general 
cultivation. If at the exhibitions of fruit some 
way could be adopted to furnish inquiring visitors 
with the actual character of the fruits exhibited, 
by appending a descriptive catalogue prepared 
with special reference to the specimens on the 
table, it would be very satisfactory. We have 
met with many persons anxious to know the 
history of particular fruits which they admired. 
We find in several catalogues special lists of 
fruits recommended by the proprietors, and such 
are found generally reliable. Those who have 
no experience in selection cannot do better than 
describe their peculiar locality and other circum¬ 
stances, and trust to honorable dealers, or con¬ 
sult the reliable periodicals of the day for the 
required information if no experienced adviser is 
at hand. 
-« e«- 
FRENCH ASPARAGUS. 
In the market gardens of Paris, Asparagus 
is almost entirely cultivated for forcing. This 
operation has been traced back to at least the 
year 1738; and at the present day it has ac¬ 
quired great importance. The plant is treated 
in two ways ; the first consists in forcing it on 
the beds, without taking up the plants. It is 
then called Asperges Hunches (blanched As¬ 
paragus.) By the other mode the roots are 
taken up and placed on hot-beds, the produce 
of which is called Asperges xertes (green As¬ 
paragus.) 
Blanched Asparagus .—Bciore entering nto 
any detail about the mode of forcing this ; U 
will be necessary to describe the way in which 
the planting is performed. In the month of 
March a favorable situation is chosen; the 
ground is divided into beds 4 ft. 4 in. wide, and 
an alley about 20 inches in width is left between 
each of these. The beds should be laid out so 
as to present their sides to the south, in order 
that the Asparagus may enjoy every advantage 
resulting from a good aspect. After the beds 
are marked out, 10 inches of earth are taken off 
the first bed, and laid upon the last one. If at 
this depth the earth is not of good quality, an¬ 
other spade’s depth is removed, and this is re¬ 
placed with the same quantity of good mould. 
In either case, a layer of cow-dung or other 
good manure is spread over the bottom of the 
trench, because Asparagus, to succeed well, 
requires a light and sandy soil, which has also 
been well manured; the bed is next covered 
with a few inches of good earth taken from the 
second bed; the whole is raked so as to make 
it level and get rid of the stones, and four rows 
are marked out at equal distances from each 
other, and so that the two outer rows may bo 
