rs 
A CONVERSATION ABOUT DWARF PEARS. 
NUMBER TIIREE. 
Visitor. —The great difference in the results of 
attempts at dwarf pear culture, have somewhat 
surprised me. Some seem to succeed; the trees 
grow well, and produce astonishing crops; others 
not only fail in getting fruit, but even the trees 
refuse to grow. For this difference, of course there 
must be a cause, and in this cause it seems to me 
lies the secret of the whole matter. 
Editor. —The cause of success and failure is the 
nut which we are attempting to crack. But it 
is surrounded with such a thick shell of circum¬ 
stances, that the work is a little tedious, if not 
difficult. The causes are : 
1st,— Planting improper varieties and poor trees. 
2d,— Planting in unsuitable soil. 
Sd,— Neglect after planting. 
1st.—There are only a few varieties that suc¬ 
ceed sufficiently well on the quince to make it ad¬ 
visable to plant them for profit, and some of these 
perhaps it would not be advisable to plant for 
market, either on the quince or pear stock. At the 
time dwarf pear culture began to attract attention 
in this country, little was known practically on the 
subject, and our nurserymen propagated all varie¬ 
ties on the quince root, many of which refused to 
make a successful growth. Those who bought and 
planted these sorts, of course failed,—jumped at the 
conclusion that dwarf pears were a humbug,—and 
are now ready to give their experience to any editor 
who wishes it for publication. This would be well 
enough, and would not lead to wrong conclusions, 
were they to give the names of the varieties; but 
this import ant matter is generally forgotten. About 
this time, French nurserymen, induced by the de¬ 
mand, sent many poor trees, that were unsalable at 
home, to this country. They were sold cheaper 
than trees could be bought of our nurserymen, and 
many planted them. Most of these died, and 
writers, in giving their experience, forget also to 
mention this fact, and it is only by careful inquiry 
of other parties conversant with the facts, that the 
truth can be ascertained. Lewis F. Allen, in giv¬ 
ing his experience and losses, neglected to mention 
that many of his trees were of this character, and 
Mr. Norton, who recently wrote against dwarf 
pears, forgot to state that many of his trees were 
cullings, a fact he had previously acknowledged, 
and also the other fact, that of the good trees he 
planted, many were varieties that experience has 
proved are worthless for culture on the quince root. 
S. B. Parsons wrote an article for the January 
number of the Horticulturist describing bis failure 
with a dwarf pear orchard, directly contradicting 
all his previous published statements, and contain¬ 
ing hardly a homeopathic dose of truth. This you 
will see proved in a future number of the Rural. 
2d.—The necessity of planting trees in a good 
soil, is a hard lesson for the majority of cultivators 
to learn. Many thousands of apple trees have been 
ruined by being planted in a wet, mucky, or springy 
soil. The soil for an orchard of any kind, should 
be well drained, and any first rate soil for an apple 
orchard, would be equally good for the dwarf pear. 
The pear, however, does not thrive (at least I have 
never seen it do so,) on a very light, sandy soil, 
nor can it be expected to grow where the ground 
is soaked with water one-half of the year. Perhaps 
one-half of the trees planted, are ruined from being 
planted in a bad soil. 
3d.—From the time Adam endeavored to cast the 
blame of his transgression upon his wife, down to 
the present time, when negligent cultivators en¬ 
deavor to charge the results of their own careless¬ 
ness upon the poor dwarf trees they have starved, 
ill-treated and murdered, men have ever been very 
careful how they acknowledged themselves wrong, 
—ever anxious to blame some one or something, to 
get clear themselves. For this reason no one 
acknowledges that he did not give his trees' good 
culture—blight, or mice, the nature of the trees 
themselves, or a dispensation of Providence — 
“ anything you choose, sir,” as one said, “ only 
don’t say that I did it.” Look at the newly planted 
orchards in all parts of the country, see how they 
are neglected, and yet, talk with the owners, tell 
them the truth and they will feel insulted. It is not 
strange then, that when persons write of their 
failures with dwarf pears, that they do not acknowl¬ 
edge a want of care; indeed, it is not surprising 
that they stoutly affirm their trees were well cared 
for. Traveling in Canada West, north-west of 
Princeton, we observed that the country was almost 
bare of fruit trees. Passing a farm-house, near 
which was a meadow, and in it a few disconsolate 
looking young apple trees, we accosted the owner, 
and inquired why he had not a good orchard. To 
this he replied by pointing us to the few scrubby 
trees in the meadow, and informed us that that was 
the result of his third planting, and he had got 
through. Trees would not grow—the climate was 
too cold, the wind too bleak, and the trees nursery¬ 
men sold not fit to plant. This was pretty much 
the experience of all his neighbors. We suggested 
want of care, but it was no use, so we passed on. 
Less than a mile further on we came to a black¬ 
smith’s shop, and near it we were surprised to see 
a neat garden, and as pretty a young apple orchard 
as our eyes ever beheld ; the tops were well formed, 
the bark bright and glossy, with every evidence of 
vigor. Of the son of V ulcan we inquired, what he 
did to cause his trees to grow so well, and why all 
his neighbors failed. To this he replied, as we ex¬ 
pected, that he had only watched his trees and 
cared for them. Kept the cattle from injuring 
them, kept the ground mellow, pruned when he 
thought necessary, washed the bark every spring, 
and kept an eye on every insect likely to do mis¬ 
chief. “ My neighbors,” said he, “ think my success 
is attributable to the smoke from the chimney, the 
ashes and iron-filings, but if I served my trees as 
they do theirs, there isn’t iron-filings nor ashes 
JAWimETTE DWARF PEAR TREE 
enough in Upper Canada to keep them from dying. 
I used to tell them so, but now I let them alone. 
It makes them angry to be told they are not doing 
right.” Two gentlemen near this city procured 
twenty-five seeds of the Ilubbard Squash last 
spring, each took half and planted them. One is a 
very neat, careful man, the other a very little care¬ 
less about small matters. The result was, the 
former raised fifty beautiful squashes, and the other 
did not raise one. The bugs destroyed them. And 
yet, should we inform him that the result was 
anything but luck ; should we intimate that he was 
in any way at fault, he would think us very foolish 
or very impudent. Among the insects discovered 
by Entomologists, destructive to fruit trees; among 
all the animals wild or tame, large or small, that 
destroy our orchards, there is none so determined, 
so persevering, so unconquerable as man. Nero 
fiddled while Rome burned, and blamed others for 
the work of his own hands; tree-planters, more 
senseless still, grumble at the destruction they 
cause, and blame the objects that suffer and die 
from their ill-treatment. 
Visitor. —This pretty clearly explains the cause 
of the difficulty, and also the difficulty of arriving 
at the whole truth, which, if fairly stated, would be 
of great benefit to cultivators, while a partial state¬ 
ment may lead to yrong conclusions and wrong 
practices. One tbit g is very apparent from our 
observations, that those who cultivate best, suc¬ 
ceed best; and, therefore, I argue that what gives 
Boston and Rochester so good a reputation for 
pear growing, is the fact that the prominent culti¬ 
vators at these places, understand the necessity of 
good culture, and not in any advantage of soil or 
climate. Those who neglect their trees, fail here 
as well as elsewhere. 
[ W e are compelled by want of space to abridge our 
notes of conversation, but will remark in closing, 
that we visited the grounds of several private 
gentlemen, where we found pear trees as vigorous 
and beautiful as could be desired. Also the premi¬ 
ses of A. Frost & Co., and Ellwanger & Barry, 
and at the latter place we took a drawing of a very 
pretty and thrifty tree, planted eight years since, 
and that has borne abundant crops almost ever 
since. Last year, in bearing time, we saw it loaded, 
and about Christmas time we tasted of its ripened 
fruit. More than a bushel was picked from it last 
year. It is the Jaminette, which we figured and 
described in the Rural of last year, (Dec. 4th,) and 
which we now recommend as an excellent grower 
on the quince, exceedingly productive and vigorous, 
and a fair winter pear. The tree is 12 feet in height.] 
BEST APPLE TREES FOR THE WEST. 
Messrs. Editors :—I notice in the Rural of Dec. 
11th, an article written by H. P. Kimball, of Rock¬ 
ford,Ill., advising new beginners to set seedling trees 
and top-graft them. Mr. Kimball says seedlings 
do better than any kind of root-grafted stocks; also 
that the seedling always bears bountifully, and the 
cold affects them but slightly. I at present differ 
with Mr. Kimball, in part, at least. First, that 
seedlings are not always more hardy than root 
grafted trees. All of our best varieties were once 
seedlings. Some were tender, as the Rambo, and 
others hardy, as the Fameuse. Now, if the Fameuse 
is grafted on any good stock, either in the root or 
in the top, it will make a hardy tree. I will admit 
that if the Rambo is grafted, standard height, on a 
hardy seedling it will make a better tree than if graft¬ 
ed in the root and then trimmed up tall, with but 
few limbs to shade the body from our scorching sun 
But, if the Rambo, tender, or Fameuse, hardy, are 
both grafted on tender seedlings, standard height, 
both will be injured, or killed alike by cold. 
Mr. Kimball says, by using seedlings you avoid 
the crooked trunks like the Fameuse, and have good 
feeders besides. Are all seedlings straight? No 
but you can select straight ones. Are all grafts 
crooked? No; take the straight ones then. Select 
from both alike and in most cases you will hav 
trees equally straight. We must not trim our 
trees in the West to a tall, straight stem, but let 
them limb out low, within two or three feet of the 
ground, and the crook in any variety, if the top is 
left low, will not be seen, after a few years’ growth 
and will be of no injury to the tree. If they ar 
grafted at the collar of the root, as they should 
always be, then the root-grafted tree has the same 
feeders as the seedling. I do not approve of using 
short pieces of roots, indiscriminately, as some 
nurserymen do, but use the collar always 
Mr. Kimball says the seedlings always bear 
bountifully. If we set seedlings four or five year 
LEAF BLIGHT. - CRACKING OF THE PEAR. 
Messrs. Editors: —In the Rural of Jan. 8th, 
“ W. W.,” of Rochester, speaks of Leaf Blight and 
cracking of the Pear. Does he mean to say that 
this mildew, or fungus, is the cause of cracking? 
I have an orchard of 300 pear trees, and have no 
leaf blight. One hundred and fifty of my trees are 
White Doyenne or Virgalieu, and for the last two 
years they have cracked so badly that they were 
good for nothing. Half of them are standards and 
half dwarfs. No difference between them as to 
cracking. They are thrifty, fine trees, and no sign 
of leaf blight. I think of grafting in the spring. 
They have been set five years. Is there any rem¬ 
edy for it ? W. W. speaks particularly of a remedy 
for blight,—does he mean the same for cracking? 
What would be your advice as to grafting ? The 
soil is loam inclining to clay; subsoil clay. The 
ground has been drained with stone drains. I 
hope to hear from correspondents on this subject. 
Ilorseheads, Jan., 1859. Chemung. 
Remarks.— When the leaves blight badly the 
fruit generally cracks, but pears often crack when 
the leaves are perfectly healthy. It has not been 
proved that there is any connection between the 
two diseases, though very similar in character.— 
We can give you no specific for either. We would 
graft the Virgalieus with the Duchesse de Angou- 
leme, Louise Bonne de Jersey and Bartlett. 
FORTY ACRE FRUIT AND NURSERY FARM. 
years after grafting, if of early-bearing varieties. 
This makes them seven or eight years old, as the 
case may be. Now, I contend that if we take root- 
rafted trees, (grafted at the collar,) and of the 
same varieties, and of the same age as the seedlings, 
and set them at the same time you do the seedlings, 
that at the end of three years they will bear more 
fruit than the grafted seedlings, and the root-grafted 
trees will have by far the handsomest tops. I mean 
that the trees, seedlings and grafts, shall be of the 
same age at the time of setting. 
We find seedling trees in most nurseries stand¬ 
ing by themselves, and they are in most cases neg¬ 
lected, at least until the grafts have been well 
tended and cared for, and at the age of five or six 
years are not larger than the grafts, (which have 
been well cared for,) are at the age of three or four 
years. Now, if you take the seedlings of six and 
the grafts of four years old, and (because of the 
same size,) expect fruit as soon after setting from 
the root-grafted tree as from the seedling, it is not 
giving the grafts an equal chance with the seedling. 
Mr. Kimball says seedlings injure but slightly in 
winter. Two years ago the coming spring I pur¬ 
chased eight hundred seedling trees, five years old, 
believing them to be more hardy than grafts. 
Before setting them in the orchard I cut one or 
more of the main Ivjtkfecs off from every tree to 
see if they wore in>^^^<v|?he bold of the past cold 
w inter of 1855-56.; asr? was determined to set none 
but healthy trees. What was my surprise to find 
but three hundred and six trees that I would risk 
at all, and I have since replaced some thirty or 
more of these with root-grafted trees. The remain¬ 
ing four hundred and ninety-four trees I threw 
away, being worthless. Last spring I went eighty- 
four miles by railroad and bought two thousand 
large seedlings, five and six years old, with the 
privilege of throwing out such as I thought were 
injured in the least. I think I threw out one-third 
or more at the time of packing, and when I came 
to set them out in the orchard, I threw out over six 
hundred of the two thousand as worthless, being 
black at the heart. The remaining fourteen hun¬ 
dred have done well. Two years ago at the time I 
set my first-mentioned seedlings, I set one hundred 
two years’ old root-grafted trees, of different varie¬ 
ties; not one has died, and they are by far the 
handsomest trees, and in one year more will be 
larger than the five year old seedlings set at the 
same time. Of course this convinces me that two 
years’ old trees are better than five years’ old. 
Also, that root-grafted trees, grafted at the collar, 
are as good if not better than most seedlings. 
My way of setting an orchard is to select out of 
a quantity of seedlings, a few that are white at the 
heart, to graft tender varieties on at the height I 
want the top to form. I would only graft a few 
tender varieties; there are a few that we can hardly 
dispense with, and set the remainder of root-grafted 
or budded trees, of such varieties as are known to 
be hardy, good bearers, and of varieties that sell 
well in the market. Two or three years old trees 
are large enough, and I prefer the former age, as 
they can be moved with their roots entire, and they 
suffer little check in their growth. 
The following varieties have proved hardy in 
nearly all sections of the country, and I should 
rather risk them than any seedlings that I have 
yet seen. 
For Winter. — Raules Jan net seven-eights — 
hardy, and a great bearer. Winesap —handsome 
and perfectly hardy. Golden Russet — late keeper 
and perfectly hardy. 
For Fall.— Fameuse —always fair and perfectly 
hardy. Fall Winesap —fair and hardy. 
Early Apples. — Carolina Red June — early 
bearer and perfectly hardy. Red Astrachan 
early bearer and perfectly hardy. Keswick Codlin 
for cooking—early bearer and perfectly hardy. 
I hope to have the experience of others through 
the Rural, as this is a subject that I am much in¬ 
terested in. I will close for this time by saying 
that I have twenty acres of orchard, and have 
twenty acres more ground that I shall set to orchard 
as fast as possible, and I shall set two years’ old 
root-grafted or budded trees, in preference to large 
or seedling trees. E. H. Skinner. 
Marengo, Ill., Jan., 1859. 
Reserved for time and space we have several 
inquiries for plans for laying out village and other 
gardens, which will receive attention before long.— 
Below we give a plan for laying out a small fruit 
farm, which we have no doubt will be of advantage 
to many of our readers, although it may not be 
adopted by one. The note below, sent us, with a 
plan that we did not like, explains itself: — 
Eds. Rural: —Accompanying these lines is a fac 
simile of a plan for a Fruit and Nursery Farm of forty 
acres, sent me by a Western friend for my criticisms, 
suggestions of alterations, &e., but as this is not my 
forte, I have decided to apply to you, believing you to 
possess both taste and skill in such matters, and would 
be pleased to see your alterations and arrangements (if 
any.) Or, if the accompanying plan is not capable of 
alteration, would be pleased to see your plan of forty 
acres for such purposes, irrespective of the locality or 
position of the land, which, of course, should be con¬ 
sulted in practical execution. Think possibly it may be 
of interest to many, and set more than one reader of the 
Rural to thinking how to arrange their home, with a 
view to convenience, comfort, and beauty.—E. Wil¬ 
liams, West Bloomfield, N. Y., 1 '59. 
The plan, we observed, we did not like. In the 
first place, the plots were of different sizes and 
forms, and although this is well in a garden, we 
dislike it for trees that are to be cultivated with 
horses. Then, they were difficult to get at, it being 
in some cases necessary to cross one plot to get 
into another. Neither the apple or peach orchards 
could be reached without crossing the vineyard. 
We gave this plan to a landscape gardener of this 
city, Wm. Webster, and requested him to draw us 
a good plan, giving sejme suggestions as to our 
notion. The result is <(ive below. 
CAKES, YEAST, PRESERVES, BISCUIT, &c. 
Eds. Rural :—As I have been an attentive reader 
of your paper for a considerable period, and finding 
myself much benefited by many of your domestic 
recipes, feel inclined to add a few of my own, which 
have been well tested and highly approved by those 
competent to judge: 
Kentucky Cake. —One-half pound butter; 1 of 
sugar; 1)4 pounds of flour; )4 pint sour milk; 5 
eggs; 1 teaspoonful of soda; spice with nutmeg. 
Cup Pudding. — Three-fourths pound of flour; 1 
pt. sweet milk; 4 eggs; 2 ounces butter. This pud¬ 
ding is to be baked in small cups; make any 
sauce you fancy. 
Yeast. —One handful of hops; two quarts of 
water; boil twenty minutes, then strain and mix 
this with flour into a batter, to which add one 
tablespoonful of salt; one of brown sugar; one of 
ginger; let it stand until lukewarm, then add one- 
half pint of fresh yeast. Do not cover the jar until 
the process of fermentation is over, then cover 
close and keep in a cool place. A small teacupful 
of this, well stirred up from the bottom, will an¬ 
swer for four common-sized loaves. The sponge 
should be set over night with warm water. 
Watermelon-Rind Preserves. —Select your rind 
firm, green, and thick; cut them in any fanciful 
shape—such as leaves, stars, diamonds, &c. When 
cut, weigh, and to each pound of rind allow 1)4 
pounds of loaf sugar. Now for the process of 
greening. Take a brass or copper kettle, and to a 
layer of grape vine leaves, which should be well 
washed, add a layer of the rind, and so on until the 
last, which should be very thick and well covered 
with a coarse linen cloth. To each pound of the 
rind add a piece of alum the size of a pea—then fill 
up with warm water sufficient to cover the whole, 
and let it stand upon the stove where it will steam, 
but not boil, until the greening is completed, which 
will be in two or three hours. When green, lay 
them in clear, cold water, and commence your 
syrup. To each pound of sugar add 1)4 pints of 
water, clarify, put in your rind, have ready sliced 
some lemons, two to each pound of rind, and when 
about half done add the lemons. You must boil 
until the rind is perfectly transparent. If you like 
the taste of ginger add a few pieces of the root, 
which will impart a high flavor, and is very plea¬ 
sant when blended with the lemon. 
Soda Biscuit. —One quart of flour; 1 tablespoon- 
fnl of soda; 2 of cream of tartar sifted into the flour; 
)4 lb. of lard; )4 teaspoouful of salt. Mix into a 
stiff dough with sour milk, and work soft. Bake 
quick. m. c. c. 
Louisville, Ky., Jan., 1859. 
CANDLES FROM SOFT TALLOW. 
The following recipe I have used, and know it to 
be valuable :—To twelve pounds of tallow add half 
a gallon of water; to which add three tablespoon¬ 
fuls of pulverized alum, and two of saltpetre, which 
heat and dissolve. Then add tallow and one pound 
of beeswax; boil hard all together, until the water 
evaporates, and skim well while boiling. It should 
not be put in moulds hotter than you can bear your 
hand in. The candles look much nicer when the 
wicks are not tied at the bottom. It is not only a 
disagreeable task to cut the wick off, but it injures 
the moulds. Never heat moulds to draw candles 
in cold weather. 
Perhaps it is not generally known that tallow 
from beeves, fed on corn or grain, is much softer 
than when fed on grass or clover. Therefore, the 
tallow from grass-fed cattle should always be hard, 
with the addition of very little alum and beeswax. 
In very cold weather much less alum must be used, 
or they will crack so as to fall to pieces sometimes; 
and a third more of each should be used in very 
warm weather, if the tallow is very soft.—G. B. F. 
in N. W. Prairie Farmer. 
FFfiUrNHEnczFt. £ 
Genesee Valley Horticultural Society.— 
The Annual Meeting of the Genesee Valley Horti¬ 
cultural Society, for the election of officers, ap¬ 
pointing committees for the ensuing year, and 
transaction of other business, will be held at the 
Court House in this city, at 10 A. M., on Monday, 
Februry 7th. It is desirable that there should be 
a general attendance of members, citizens, and all 
old, and graft them, we expect to get fruit in three ^ in this vicinity interested in horticulture. 
It is divided into eight plots, containing about 
four acres each, and the front plot, in which is the 
house, barn, lawn, <fcc., contains about eight acres. 
Through the centre is a road connected with each 
square, and a road is made around each. Oppor¬ 
tunity for turning may be had at the crossings of 
the roads, but a still better chauce is given at the 
back of the lot. A border of standard fruit trees is 
planted around the whole farm, both for fruit and 
shelter. These plots, of course, might be divided 
to suit convenience, or crops. A, A, apple orchards. 
B, standard pears, cherries and plums. C, peaches 
and apricots. D, vineyard. E, raspberries, goose¬ 
berries and currants. F, strawberries. G, vegeta¬ 
bles. H, dwarfpears and quinces. I, nursery stock. 
Of course, if a person desired to do much in the 
nursery business, a larger quantity of land than the 
plan gives, would be needed. 
The Peach Crop in Western New York.— 
From all parts of Western New York, we are re¬ 
ceiving intelligence of the almost total destruction 
of the peach buds. In some orchards a few re¬ 
main sound. One of the most extensive peach- 
growers in this county sends us the following note: 
I regret to say that on examination of peach buds, 
yesterday, I find that most of them are killed. I sincere¬ 
ly hope that it is not universal throughout the county.— 
Austin Pinney, Clarkson Jan. 18,1S59. 
Curing Hams. —Please say to R. G. B./that if he 
wishes to cure hams, so that they will be tender 
and sweet, he must not put any brine on them, for 
brine has a tendency to make lean meat hard. The 
following recipe I have found the best of any I have 
seen. To a common sized ham take one ounce of 
saltpetre, and mix with it enough fine salt to rub 
the ham twice; after rubbing the hams, you can 
lay them in a heap, or in a cask, putting some sticks 
in the bottom so that the brine may'ruu off, or a 
hole in the bottom of the cask that it may run out. 
After they have lain one week, take them up and 
rub on the remainder of the salt and saltpetre, let 
them lay eight or ten days longer, then take them 
up again and rub them with salt alone; lay them 
as before for another week, and they are ready to 
smoke.—P. F. M., Chatham Four Carners, N. Y., 
Jan., 1859. 
To Cure Rheumatism. —Seeing in a late number 
a call for a recipe for Rheumatism, I forthwith 
send one that is first best. Take a large handful 
of wild blue flag root, and as much black cohosh 
root, (pounded fine,) — put into a quart of best 
brandy ; let it stand a day or two, then take a tea¬ 
spoonful three times a day till nearly well. Then 
taper off gradually to one a day until cured.— 
This is also a preventive.—E. E. A., Ripley, N. Y, 
1859. _ 
Apple Dumplings. — One - third pint of thick 
cream; two-thirds butter-milk; one teaspoon soda; 
one half teaspoon of salt; use flour enough to make 
a good dough. Dress a large sized apple, very 
sour, for each dumpling, and cover with a crust.— 
Steam, from three-fourths to an hour, and serve 
with butter and sugar. Good enough for an epi¬ 
cure.— Jane E. IL, Pifard, N. Y., 1859. 
The weather is now, January 25th,) mild and 
bright. Our friends in some localities would do 
well to look out for the mice. 
To Settle Coffee.— When eggs are non-come¬ 
at-able, pour boiling water upon the coffee, set it a 
short time where it will keep warm, and when 
wishing to use fill up with hot water, and it is 
ready for use.—S. D. Tooker, Toledo, 0., 1859. 
1 
ir 
mmW fw* 
W&mm 
