FRUIT - GROWERS’ SOCIETY OF WESTERN NEW YORK. 
A3STNTTAI. MEETING — DISCUSSIONS. 
As we promised last week, we now give a pretty 
fall report of the discussion at the last meeting of the 
Fruit Growers’ of Western New York. The subjects 
are important and the remarks will be found interest¬ 
ing and profitable. 
Gathering and Packing Fruit. 
The best mei’iod rf gathering, packing , and transporting pears 
to market. 
Dr. Sylvester, of Lyons—Never gather fruit until 
it is well matured. Pick by hand and carefully 
place the specimens in peach baskets. Take them to 
the fruit-room and allow them to sweat for a week or 
more, then pack in half barrels. Arrange carefully 
in packing and shake down frequently. Put in only 
a few at a time and shake down often. After the 
barrel is full, press on the head pretty hard, so as to 
bruise those on the top. This is necessary to keep 
the fruit from shaking about and becoming injured 
on the way to market. Keep pears until they will ho 
nearly ripe when they reach the market, otherwise 
they will not bring as good a piice. In asaortiug, 
make three classes. In tills way the two best will 
bring more than all would if sold together. Put 
nothing In head or bottom of barrel, but sometimes, 
if very ripe, wrap each fruit in paper. 
L. H. Langworthy —May not all pears be picked 
when the seeds become colored? 
On as. Downing—H ome varieties of pears never 
color their seeds,— the Lewis is one of this kind. 
P. Barry—I t witl not answer to allow summer 
pears to remain on the tree until the seeds are colored, 
or they are worthless. When summer pears are fit to 
pick, the seeds are soft and light colored. Seeds of 
pears house-ripened seldom become dark colored. If 
ripened ou the trees, the seeds ripen nt the expense of 
the flavor. Winter pear* should be allowed to remain 
on the tree until frost, if the leaves hang on, bill the 
pears should be picked ns soon ns the leaves fall, or 
they lose flavor. About the ‘20th of October is the 
nsoal time for picking winter pears in this section. 
Pick by hand and pack in small boxes or half barrels. 
Pears ripen quicker and do not keep as well if stored 
in large masses. After packing; put the boxes in a 
cord place on the north side of a building, where 
they may remain until very hard frost. We then put 
the boxes in a ham and cover with straw and leaves 
until the thermometer gets down to about zero. 
Then put in a cool cellar. In p irking, care should be 
had to put the ripest or most matured specimens by 
themselves, and those less mature alone, so that ail 
specimens iri a barrel will ripen at about the same 
time. Mr. H. spoke of the difficulty and danger of 
attempting to send winter pears to market in the 
winter, on account of frost, lie thought they must 
be sent to market In the fall, like winter apples. As 
soon as they become so plenty as to make it an object, 
fruiterers in large cities will prepare rooms for ripen¬ 
ing and give all necessary attention to the process. 
Much has been said about ripening pears at a high 
temperature. This is not necessary. If the fruit 
was matured on the tree they would ripen in the 
cellur. Every good winter pear will do so. Pack¬ 
ing of A atrium pears is an important matter._ 
Many sent, from Western New York last season were 
found spoiled when they reached the Eastern market. 
We should be careful In selecting as to ripeness. 
One over ripe and rotting specimen will injure many. 
If one or two Specimens are spotted with fungus, It 
will spread and spoil a barrel. All defective fruit 
should he discarded. Fruit for a distant market 
should be put lift in small packages. Barrels or 
boxes should ho clean and dry, and means of escape 
afforded for any gases generated, and the speediest 
means of conveyance should In? selected. 
II. E. Hookkic, of Rochester As much trouble is 
not necessary for the preservation of winter pears as 
many suppose. Last season let Glout Morceaus 
sweat a few days, then put them in barrels, on the 
first of November, boring holes in the heads. Placed 
the barrels on the north side of a building, where 
they remained until early in December. They wero 
pul in cellar 15th of December, and are now used 
from till? barrel just as winter apples. To see whether 
a higher temperature would improvo them, several 
times took some Into a warm room, arid all agreed 
that those fmrn the cellar were heat. We cannot 
keep winter pears hero until about ripe and then send 
them to market. They should be sent in tile autumn. 
Tried a few half barrels of Glout Morceaus, hut they 
became black and unmarketable. Like to keep ap¬ 
ples and pears out of a cellar in the fall as long as 
possible. Think all fruit when put up in somewhat 
largo packages retain their flavor better than wln-n a 
few specimens only are put together. They retain 
their aroma better. 
L. Bum Kit, of Ontario Co.—Had found by experi¬ 
ence that pears picked on a bright, warm day rip.-ned 
quicker than those picked on a dark, cool day. For 
keeping, therefore, preferred to pick very early in 
the morning, or on a dull, cool day. The pear 
undergoes mote of a sweating process than apples, 
and barrels should always be ventilated. Make three 
holes in both ends. Halt barrels the best for pack 
ing. better than boxes, more convenient and cheaper, 
and the pressure on tlio fruit is more equal. They 
are also more conveniently handled. The barrels 
should be filled in the orchard and then put under 
shelter in a cool place, as described by other gentle¬ 
men, until cool weather. 
Mr. Jacobs Dealt largely in fruit and had consid¬ 
erable experience in shipping. The greatest error 
in tlie grape, but we pay little attention to its keeping 
qualities, which is an important matter. 
Mr. Sharpe agreed with all those who considered 
this question a very important one. lie had laid 
upon tba table specimens of Autumn ripening pears 
which had thus far been kept undecayed, and he 
hoped that winter fruits could he kept until summer. 
IT. N. LaNGWoktuy — Once having some line 
Bartlett pears which he wished to save for a fall 
exhibition, and fearing that by tin; ordinary mode of 
keeping they would not last, he put them in tin 
canisters, and placed them in ice. Tlio consequence 
was that his peare at the exhibition were green and 
remained unnoticed, while those who kept them in 
the common way had tine yellow specimens. They 
afterwards ripened and were of good flavor, 
W, P. TowNaKNn, of Loekport—Had put Bartlett 
pears in baskets in the ice-house, and kept them for 
a long time, hut found on exposure to the air tlie.v 
became discolored and never acquired their natural 
flavor. 
Barry —A fruit after arriving at full growth, or 
what is called maturity, should progress slowly and 
steadily towards perfection. If the rijionltig process 
is entirely suspended for a long time, the living prin¬ 
ciple seems to be destroyed and never can bo restored. 
It is then like dead matter—like a stick, that may 
dry up or rot, bnt will never make any step towards 
ripening. Mr. Brooks bail mentioned the proper 
conditions for a good fruit-room — coolness, dryness 
and evenness of temperature. In England it is 
found impossible to keep fruit in cellars. 
Townsend —On three occasions bad tried to pre¬ 
serve pears in Schooley’s preservatory. They could 
be kept a very long time, but never afterwards had 
anv flavor. 
\V. B. Smith, of Syracuse, had kept early fruit for 
exhibition by placing it in boxes, and covering it 
with the damp saw-dust in the ice-house. When pre¬ 
served in this manner for a few days, no injury would 
he done, but. if kept in this condition for a long time 
was worthless. 
Dr. Spence thought the ripening process was not 
a vital principal, but a chemical process, which coulil 
he suspended for a long time, and renewed without 
injury to the fruit, 
L. B. L,a vow Orth y Cold will preserve vegetable 
and animal bodies from decay. A fish may be frozen 
and carried a thousand miles, yet when thawed it 
shows usual life. Could not believe there was any¬ 
thing like animal vitality in fruit, it is doubtless a 
chemical process. Found no difficulty in keeping 
grapes packed in layers in peacli baskets. 
Dr. 1\ G. Torey, of Rochester, who exhibited some 
of the best kept grapes on the tables, picked about 
the lirst of November, and put in pasteboard boxes 
about 8 by 112 iuclies, and 4 Inches deep. Putin 
cellar ns soon as packed, and put in the hoxea the 
same day they were gathered. Had experienced 
some difficulty in keeping grapes in an upper room 
during November. 
I,. It. I.anhwortiiy thought a little exposure for a 
few days would evaporate a portion of the moisture 
and help their keeping. 
Dr. Sylvester hud kept grapes through the entire 
winter. The fruit, .should he fully ripe whim picked, 
if exposed for some days they begin to shrivel, but if 
packed immediately they keep sound. Packed in 
small boxes, two layers in a box. Keep In upper 
room until very cold weather, and put in cellar. 
H. N. Lanoworthy— Packed grapes in baskets In 
maple chips from the last factories, and in this way 
kept them until lute in April, without difficulty, 
CHAP. Downin'!) Had tried every way he had ever 
heard of and failed in all. 
Ho ao, of Loekport, packed grapes in boxes, first 
covering the bottoms with cotton; then paper. Ilpon 
this ho placed a layer of grapes and covered them 
with paper. Then another layer of grapes. Keeps 
lu a cool room. Low even temperature is necessary 
to their preservation. 
L. Barber, of Bloomfield —We raise for market in 
our town more than thirty tuns of grapes every year. 
We never pack grapes as soon as picked, hut have 
small houses made on purpose for drying or curing 
the stems. The grapes are placed on shelves, and 
arc permitted to remain in this room, well ventilated 
for about two weeks, and until the stems are ri(Mined. 
Not one pound out or ten will be. saved from mildew 
if they are packed with tlie stems green. Any grapes 
that arc not fully ripened shrivel, but well ripened 
bunches Will not. Grapes should hang on tho vines 
until we have had two or three hard frosts. After the 
stems are dried the grapes arc packed in small paper 
boxes, as rinse as possible, so tint tliuy will uot 
move, and these small boxes are packed in cases. In 
this way they may be sent to any market und will 
come out plump and line. 
Mr. La Rowe, of Steuben Co., said Mr. McKay, of 
Naples, picked bis grapes in half barrels, (whole, 
barrels, sawed in two.) They were carried to the 
storehouse and kept in these tuba until tlie atoms 
shrivelled, sometimes four weeks. After that assorts, 
puts in paper boxes and sends to market. Grapes 
always sweat, and the surest way is to core well before 
packing. 
Yellows In tlio Peach. 
Can the yellows in the peach t»: introduced by the tmfxn tat ton of 
trees from ivfectedrdistricts) 
11. N. Langworthy —Hnd known the yellows a 
great many years ago. A tree with this din- 
ease will ripen its fruit a month earlier than the 
healthy tree, but it will soon die. I once bad a very 
large, tine looking peach, that ripened much earlier 
than any large pencil wc had, and I thought I had u 
new and very valuable variety, but the same summer 
the tree diod of the yellows. 
1.. Il, Lav;worthy thought the yellows contagious. 
His attention was called last summer to a young 
orchard of 800 tree**. In one portion half-a-dozen or 
more of the trees were dying, and the proprietor 
thought there must be iron in the soil. I examined 
V j* -. . n - Wf »wi kllUUkllk. bill'll; III 11 n b IRI 1 rUJJ 111 Mil* WO II I ft 111 1 fli-f I 
and PI aR»th.T C ia ’i m pa< i k, ? K in f 00 lar e e t jack ' and found then, affiiote.l with the yellows and 
1 W?’ a v ' ni ‘«l ectlQ ? to as30rt I'Kir advised their immediate removal. At liret only one 
I-was affected. Gaodsell, our o.deat TnSZt 
and a bad name. Barrels for'early apples should be 
ventilated, but it is not necessary for winter apples. 
Half barrels are best fur pears, and the crates like 
sometimes used for peaches, the worst possible con¬ 
trivance, as the slats cut and bruise the fruit. 
P Barky — Could not agree with others in regard 
to the use of half barrels. Jn France pears are 
packed and sent to London and other places, in small 
boxes, something like cheese boxes, bolding about a 
peck or less each. The pcaru are placed in layers 
between dried moss and leaves. 
E. Moody, of Loekport—Thought fruit should be 
placed in the cellar immediately after gathering 
There the temperature is comparatively uniform' 
while out-of-door* there i» constant change, causing 
sweating and injury. A cellar in a side-hill would 
be better than a common cellar, us it would be drier 
and of a more equal temperature. 
ucc nucctau. uuouaen, our oiliest nurseryman 
here, tried some experiments with trees affected with 
tliiB disease. Among other things, he iuocculated 
healthy trees with the sup of those which were dis¬ 
eased. and killed them. A gentleman of Pen fie Id 
once brought rnn a large peach ripe, very early, a 
month before we had any large peaches ripe, und 
claimed that it was a seedling. I suggested th« yel¬ 
lows, and found afterwards that tlie tree soon died, 
Dr. Sylv ester, some 11) years ago, being East, pro- 
fired some peach seedlings from New Jersey, j„u„ 
J. Thomas cautioned mo against this course and 1 
burned up rny seedlings. Ho stated facta of his own 
knowledge which Ltd me to believe this course, was 
the only sale One. If this disca-c extends to Western 
New York, il will bo very had for ns, and will prob¬ 
ably be as fatal to our trees as it is in New Jersey, 
In that State it is so bud that they expect but ono or 
two crops of fruit. 
I rated by tlio pollen of the flower. Mr. B. thought 
the cause to be a poor, impoverished soil, and gene- 
I ml bad management for a series of yours, wftloh de* 
I v id ops the disease and makes it constitutional, and it 
i is propagated with the tree. The cure seems to be 
■ to remove the tree to a fertile soil. Would prefer not 
to purchase trees from a district where the disease 
i exist-*. 
i T • W. La v, of Monroe Co., never saw a case of this 
r disease in his town, and large crops of peaches arc 
i raised there. The host orchards cams from Jersey 
and wero planted 15 or 10 years ago. Hud known 
trees brought from New Jersey recently, but had seen 
no sign of disease. 
Barry —All the young peach orchards in New 
Jersey look healthy, and tiicir nursery trees *lo not 
have the yellows, or at least do not show it. Gene¬ 
rally after bearing the second crop they die. In some 
parte of the State they are exempt from the disease. 
Host Stock for ikn Cherry. 
Whith it the best stock far tlie cherry for general purposes^ the 
Mb scant or the Mahaleb.? 
\V. P. Townsenii thought the wood of the Mahaleb 
stock is more dense and hardy than the Mazy.,ml, 
and the tree is not as subject to bursting of the 
, bark. Some varieties arc peculiarly adapted to ibis 
stock. 
! Geo. Ellwangrk — The Mahaleb answers on a 
greater variety of soils than the May.zard, and is 
particularly adapted bo a clay soil. The hark is not 
us liable to buret n« upon the Ma/zani stock. In fact 
sum*' varieties now cannot be grown to advantage on 
that stock. 'This is the case with the Black Tartarian 
and Kirtland'a Mary. When worked low the bud w ill 
not outgrow the stock. Grown in this manner they 
stand the winters well. A chewy should receive no 
pruning after it is planted out. k should bo got into 
shape when young. The tree when .young makes a 
vigorous growth on Mahaleb stock, but alter three 
years old the growth is slower, and tlm tree Is not as 
large. 
('has. Downing— There is a tree In my neighbor¬ 
hood on the Mahaleb stock, 18 to '20 inches in diame¬ 
ter, 40 years planted. This stock is no doubt better 
adapted to the Houtli and West than the Mazzard. 
Northern Spy Apple. 
The Kent hern Spy apple ? what is the value of it as an onhard 
fmU? 
D. W. Beadle, St. Catharines, C. W., had fruited 
it only two years, but found it very promising. The 
fruit largo, high colored and abundant, and hung 
well on the trees, a great advantage with us, where 
we are troubled with severe south-west winds in the 
autninn. 
Barry - The Northern Spy has been charged at 
previous meetings of this Society with being a shy 
bearer, knotty, Ac. We have now had more experi¬ 
ence, ami can gather together sufficient information 
either to establish ils good character, or condemn ii. 
us unworthy of cultivation. My impression is that 
since, we have been able to sc*- its character more 
generally exhibited, and thus have been able to Judge 
of its merits not from particular cases of success or 
fai I tiro, it has become fur more popular. 1 consider 
it omi of the greatest treasures we have of the apple 
family. 
Sharpb —Rome ten years ago obtained scions of 
Northern Hpy and grafted them into an old apple 
tree. Waited for seven or eight years and set a boy 
budding the young shoots of the Spy with penis. 
He did bis work so badly that all the buds died, and 
the next summer, 1859, it bore, four barrels of splen¬ 
did Rpys, which kept until the next May, and was 
unequalled by anything I ever tasted for flavor and 
freshness. Last year it bore five barrels, which I sold 
at $1,50 per barrel, while 1 tumid gel only a dollar for 
other sorts. 
H. T. Brooks —In 1855 set out an orchard of 1000 
trees, ami of this number 150 wen; Northern Spys, 
from hearing it well spoken of. But one of tin* best, 
fruit growers in our county told me I had made a 
great mistake, and I was disposed to alter them, but 
on consulting with my friend Mr. Vick, he advised 
rnc to wait, and my Northern Spy*) would give a good 
amour t of themselves. I shall consider it a great 
acquisition if this fine flavored miffi; can tie grown 
in Western New York. 1 had a vny few specimens 
last season. 
Fish - The Northern Spy I consider a great hum¬ 
bug - I mean for a large class of planters— those who 
want to set out trees one season and gather the fruit 
tlie next. When 1 commenced the. nursery business, 
commenced growing the Northern Spy, ami didn’t 
like to give it up, but people would not buy them. 
Hoag — Rome ten years ago met the late James If. 
Watte, who asked me if I wished a good apple. He. 
gave me ono with which I was exceedingly well 
pleased. Next year, in the month of June, saw some, 
in the New York market. It was at that season so 
delicious that 1 bought scions und grafted - 11 ) trees 
nine years ago. Had no apples until 1H59, and then 
only a few. I had become somewhat tired of waiting 
and thought of grafting over, but now am well 
pleased I did not, for the last season had a large 
crop. Thought if the head was thinned out and 
strong shoots shortened, the tree would bear curlier. 
W. 11. Smith — Had a tree grafted nine years. Last 
season bore a few specimens. This year between five 
and six barrels. 
Bahukh—K now the history of the Northern Spy 
as it originated in my t*>wn. 'it is, ns had been said' 
a slow bearer. Grafts on an old tree will IVult in 
seven years. When it commences frultlhg, it over¬ 
bears, and unless thinned, the fruit is poor. Thin is 
particularly the case with old trees. All old ne¬ 
glected tree will not produce good Spy*. The tree 
m ust be vigorous and taken care of to‘produce fruit 
of line quality. This apple needs care in shipping 
for it is tender and juicy, and easily becomes bruised’ 
Some localities seem particularly adapted to this 
apple. Know of some dry aide-hills, of gravelly loam 
with a southern and custom exposure, where tun Spy 
grows superbly, and is the best and raOJJt profitable 1 
apple grown. 
Dr. Sylvester — In some parts ol Wayne County ' 
the Hpy Ims borne large crops of line fruit. It bus, 1 
however, the disadvantage, of coming late into bear 
ing. A young tree must stand eight to ta n years ' 
before it will commence bearing. It lias another 1 
habit, that of growing thick with small branches 
and unless in the hands of u person who will prune! ' 
the quality of the fruit will not be good. But if the ! 
fruitgrower has a good soil and will attend to hi.-* 1 
trees, by planting the Hpy he will have a fine apple, 
ami oue that witl keep. I 
l‘n>(., Muonv had been a decided advocate of the I f 
world, while there is no handsomer fruit There is 
no better apple for the family, but for transportation 
to distant markets, it bad more faults than any apple 
he whs acquainted w ith. Dealers do not like them 
as ft packing apple, because they arc so thin skinned 
and tender and so liable to bruise. 
Ttio White Doyenne I’enr. 
Is it advisable la plant, I IFWlftrrvi Xru> }~ork, the While lby 
emir pear fur orchard purposes, in view if its pirsent Habib 
ity to crack and spot in certain localities I 
S. B. Gavitt, of Wayne county — Would nnt 
recommend it for general culture in Western New 
York, although there are some localities where, in 
sandy soils, it seems to do well. Fails on gravel, 
\V. f. Smith, Geneva —The Virgalicu has done 
remarkably well in Geneva and about Canandaigua. 
Ni'v f saw better lYujt than lias been produced in our 
section within a few years. 
Hhari'k, of Loekport — Set out three years ago a 
thousand White Doyenne pear trees. They boro a 
few specimens year before Just, and last year more, 
but both seasons they were cracked. 
Smith, of Syracuse, would advise a trial of deep 
plowing and draining. 
Barker, of Bloomfield — In our locality we have 
no trouble with the Virgalicu, We have never had 
cracking tu amount to anything. 
Smith, of Syracuse, believed the disease induced 
by local causes. 
Dr. Syi.vkstE ii agreed with Mr. Smith, for he bad 
seen in the same orchard trees standing upon the 
west siiie of a hill with the fruit cracked, while upon 
the east side, and not over 100 rods distant, the fruit 
was untouched and splendid. Hoil on west side 
gravelly; on the east side sandy loam. 
Townsemi—T he Virgalicu cracks badly with me, 
while in the orchard of a near neighbor tlie fruit is 
clean. Mr. T. thought the cracking was produced 
from some atmospheric cause. The fruit upon both 
dwarf aud standard trees sailer alike. Out of fifteen 
barrels, only picked out two bushels that could be 
called good. 
Smith, of Geneva, didn't like to give up tho Viren- 
lieu. It is a hardy tree, ami one of our best 
market pears. There is nothing of iis season us 
good. Mr. H. was afraid till our delicate pears would 
he subject to this influence. 
H. E. Hooker did not believe that one bushel in 
ten of the' Virgalicu pears grown and picked were 
lit to ship. Mr. Jacobs, mi extensive fruit purchaser, 
he noticed was present, and he would like his 
opinion in regard to the Virgalicu as a market pear. 
Mr. jAL'OBfUMlid, as a general thing, we cannot do 
anything with Vlrgalleus grown in this county. In 
and about Geneva the fruit is very good, and New 
York fruit buyers get some very good specimens 
from that section. I'rctty much all dealers discard 
that variety. 
HiiKiM'ARn, of Bloomfield — Generally raised good 
Virgalieus. Last year they did not ripen up well, 
but this year ripened early and were good. Had no 
cracking. 
Lttw anger — lb* Virgalicu has done pretty well 
with us, and wc have hud very little cracking. But 
it lias cracked badly all around us. There is no 
necessity for planting this variety, for wc have plenty 
ol other good pears of the same season. Would not 
recommend it for general culture. 
HOOKER — Do think either eurvente of air, or soil, 
or had culture is tho cause of cracking. Have known 
it crack under the best culture, on high and low 
ground, and on all kinds of soil, 
Dwarf mid Standard Trees. 
What is understood by the term « standard, and what by the 
t>rm a Uxoaif, tree? 
Townsend— On this subject there seems to be a 
great misapprehension among tree planters. A 
standard tree is one grafted or budded on a similar 
stock, so that the tree grows full or standard size. 
A dwarf comes from a bad inserted in a root with 
which it will unite, but yet furnishes an interruption 
to the flow of sap, generally a sort of smaller growth, 
which induces curly fruitfulness and a small growth 
of tin; tree. 
Barber thought the matter plain. A standard tree 
is one grafted on a stock similar to the (graft, ami a 
dwarf budded on a dissimilar stock. 
Hooker thought the term dwarfing was applied to 
the working of scion upon a stock which tended to 
produce diminutive growth, and thus tended to fruit- 
fulucM.-i ami to increased size of the fruit. In the 
pear this « fleet is produced by working upon tlie 
quince stock. There are oilier terms, ami which 
result from other causes, as, lor instance, a tree of 
any size may be rendered “ pyramidal ’’ by suitable 
pruning. In tin; pear we call a standard tree one 
which is worked upon the pear stock or standard 
stock. As applied to apples, the. working upon Para¬ 
dise stock induces a diminutive growth. In the 
cherry, working upon tlio Mahaleb induces a growtli 
not so much dwarfish, ami l think there is some 
impropriety in the use of the term when applied to 
the cherry ou this stock. In tin; plum, the working 
on wild plum stock produces a tree somewhat 
dwarfish. A tree which is simply pruned low, is 
not thereby rendered a dwarf tree, because such 
pruning does not produce, diminutive growth. 
J. O. Blond understood a dwarf tree to be one 
which is worked upon a Shrub, or a small tree par¬ 
taking of a shrubby character, and thus a dwarf tree 
is made to partake somewhat of tlio character of tho 
shrill) upon which it is worked. 
Ei.lwangkk said a tree that ia not allowed to 
branch near the ground, hut has a clean stern for 
some four loot, is culled a standard. One that has 
a clean stem for about two feet, is called a half 
standard. This is the French system. Jf a pear 
tree on quince root is pruned up to a clean stem 
three or four feet, it is called a dwarf standard. 
But a standard treo without qualification means a 
tree on its own stock pruned up with a clean stem, 
the usual height. 
Mr. Vick thought tho term originated in this way, 
the trees selected by the nurseryman to stand in his 
ground as specimen trees, became to bu called 
standards. Afterwards the term was used to specify 
those trees which stood on their own trunks unsup¬ 
ported by wall or trellis. 
C. W, Shelve — A standard tree is one that stands 
on a log, or trunk, and this term is used to distin¬ 
guish it from a tree or plant branching from the 
ground. 
Hr, Bristol thought that, for instance, in the 
pear, a dwarf means tlie tree worked upon the quince 
stock, and asked'—Jf one of your nurserymen gets an 
The top of the tree is the demand, and the root is the 
supply, Ike tap can be so severely pruned as not to 
leave wood buds enough to draw tip the sap from the 
roots. ‘ 
Mr. Hooker thought that other things, snclt as 
soil, manure. Ac., were of more consequence Hum 
this question. There is a wonderful recuperative 
power in nature; and fruit trees have a strong power 
to adapt themselves to eurnmxtanees. It Is aston¬ 
ishing how readily tree will adapt themselves to the 
circumstances in which they are; placed. Had tried 
experiments, ami the growth of those that were 
pruned were greater than those not pruned; but tlie 
Vital top was only about tho same. As an abstract 
question there is a great deal to ray upon both sides. 
Mr. Hovey thinks that the pruning should be done 
the year after transplanting, while others think that 
we should prune when we transplant. There are 
various ends to be served by pruning. If wc want 
the plants to hear fruit immediately, we prune ono 
way; we prune in another style produce ft bushy 
tree, ami in another to produce a pyramidal tree. 
Mr. H. had removed hits of trees without touching 
;i litnb with ;i knife, and they had all done well. In 
•act, lie seldom lost a tree by removal. 
Mr. Hekkndkrn John .I. Thomas once tried the 
experiment of three dl lie rent modea of pruning the 
top* upon the same sort Of tree, leaving the roots all 
nhkr, 4nd nil growing under similar cirouuii$t 4 ince 8 . 
In the first case they were not prune.I in at all, and 
the trees niade very little if anv growth. In the 
second case tlio tops were pruned moderately, and 
tho trees grew ^nmowhut, Mending out BliOots norne 
five or six inches In length, ami looked decidedly 
better. In tin* third ease The tops were pruned 
severely, and the tree*) grew very tbriiiily. 
Mr. Barry said that the practice of nurserymen in 
their own grounds did not furnish a safe guide for 
their customers. \V hen we remove trees, they nro 
taken up ami planted Immediately, hut trees received 
by our customers have to l K ; packed and sent on a 
long jounioy, in which they receive more or leflu 
injury. Ho Would recommend that the tops should 
m all cases be reduced a good -leal at the time of 
planting. When we receive trees from France, us they 
usually reach UR with their tops more or less 
shrivelled, we always prune them severely. The late 
A. J. Downing preused the importance of this 
matter upon planters. Small trees would require 
less pruning than large ones, but in all cases dead 
ami injured limbs and roots should he removed. 
Barber —The roots of trees should be placed in 
tho earth, opt in wads or bundles, hot spread out ns 
nearly us possible as they were when grown, ami any 
decayed portion, or dry or dead part of either a root 
or branch, slinuld be removed, under all circu.uista.nc8. 
Mr. IIerenukkn remarked, that these fine fibrous 
roots spoken ul by tho gentleman, are almost always 
dead, and if we cMiminu* the roots of trees which 
have been removed, we shall timl that all the new 
growth of tin* roots is from roots fully tlio size of a, 
pipe stem, while the smaller roots have decayed. 
Mr. If. thought Hint ns a general thing, much 
would i.e gained by rather olose pinning of the roots. 
Mr. SuAiti'E said lie unco had a great number of 
peach trees oue year from tho bud', and tho tops 
being so dry, lie feared they would not live; he cut 
them down, leaving only stumps from l'2 to 20 inches 
above ground. They all lived, and made the finest 
trees he had. 
— * • +- 
fiovtuuttimit gtotes. 
ltneollT OP 'NIK A MICHIGAN P 0 M 010)010 At SOCIETY .■_This 
Report is uow published, und makes a ha mlsotiiii volume of 
over 200 pages. It ih published for the use of melubon*, and 
those in Roe heater aim vicinity can obtain their copies at the 
Rural office. Any person can become a member of tlio 
Society by forwarding ffl to the Treasurer, Thomas l’, James, 
ol Philadelphia, win) will forward tlio volume by mail. 
AcKNOWLKDOMBNTa—Wo nro indebted to E, |„ Sim-Aim, 
of Marcellas, N. Y., for good specimens of tlio Rubicon apple, 
which Mr, 8. left at our office, on his return from tho West. 
PROCKBIUNOH OK Tint OHIO PoMOl.OUIOAL Sooikty. — Wo are 
indet.t..,I t > awn*} unknown friend for a report of the proceed 
bigs of (Ids Society, which wo will notice next week. 
Tmc HoHTtOCLTURtNT for January is ou our table, and is 
exceedingly neat in appearance, while its contents aro both 
interesting and valuable A.** wo have before informed our 
readers, the printing office of tlio Horticulturist w ns destroyed 
by lire just us the January number was ready for press, 
fbis lire must have made a clean sweep, for tlie editor 
announce* that nothing was left but tho editor and tbo pub¬ 
lisher; while these remain, wo must consider tho loss com¬ 
paratively light. 
— S.«- ' l l* ■.* RUMIVUU. IJl Lilt. 1 /• I t I I ^ * ■ 
Northern Hpy. Twelve years ago planted a "nod ty 1 ' a hundred dwarf pear trees, wliat would he 
many trees and induced others to do so. Bonn-had } mt would it he merely a large tree cut down 
become discouraged waiting for fruit and had "rafted ,, ' v ’ or B ho trees from pear scions worked 
over their trees, but those who had nnt ,inm. "P 011 stocks? Trees in grounds which are 
after Dack in". Y P thue Iuimed| ately Chah. Downing had known this disease for thirty 
temperature. Carry the pears there immediately 
after packing. J 
H. k Hooker-A neighbor, Mr. Mathews, con¬ 
structed a fruit-room in one part of his cellar, but 
couhl not save his pears. They do better in a cellar 
in barrels. 
Keeping Friiirs. 
1 ’he bed method of jmrercing fruits, so as in. every way to pro- 
tong Hu period of consumption. 
Hugh T, Brooks, of Wyoming, considered this 
subject a very important one. ] n the country the 
people had got the idea that they cannot avoid losin" 
a good portion «r their fruit. One-tiur.t at least of 
the fruit put into cellars comes out m a damaged con 
ihtiori. Cellars uillcr very much in their keeping 
qualities, and we hardly know why. Is dryness, 
evenness ot temperature, or coolness needed? A 
Inend, Judge Taggart, had a dry cellar, and the 
apples shrive led. He put them in his garret and 
they kept well. .Some think a garret preferable to a 
cellar for preserving fruit. - 
1 3a * S S ARP ’ 1 ;' > «kport, presented specimens of 
Louise Bonne do Jersey, Bartlett, and cither pears 
which fee had kept as they were picked, without 
ripening, in a cellar, by some process which he did 
not disclose. 
C. B. isi - SELi. thought this a very important ques¬ 
tion because of the advantages possessed by winter 
maturing fruity and by fruits which can easily he 
kept, Over preserved imity sweetmeats and dried 
iruity x hey are better for the health, re ve trouble 
rethi, 1 P uUin « «P’fud arc much more pleasant 
to the taste, I'.uawlles have usually depended upon 
sweetmeats from January until strawberry time and 
ir by any means wc can preserve fruit in the natural 
state during a good portion of tils time, thediffi rence 
i 800,1 bG apparent. Notice 
should be taken ot the keeping qualities of grapes. 
uincsiTj productiveness, Jce., are qualities sought 
years. His brother, Mr. Manioc, and Mr. Barry, did 
not thick it contagious, but lie coulil not agree with 
them. When he took potmcsslon of his present place, 
twenty-three years ago, there was no yellows in New¬ 
burgh, hut a little of the disease appeared in a neigh¬ 
bor's orchard, ami he urged him to take the trees out 
and burn them up, which ho neglected to do, and from 
this it spread all over the country. 
Dr. Si'j.MjE considered the fact fully established 
that this disease is contagious. 
Mr. Hharpr expressed decided fear that this disease 
would be generally introduced. There were men in 
his county who were obtaining large quantities of 
peach tree* from Now Jersey to lit) their orders. 
Towkse.vji, of Loekport, knew of 9(1,000 New Jer¬ 
sey peach trees brought to his place to supply orders. 
11. K. Hookkh thought there were two sides to this 
question, Had known peach trees brought from New 
Jersey make good and permanent orchards without 
the least sign of disease. Home of the oldest orchard * 
in this comity arc of that character. The owner of 
uiic of these orchards had obtained trees from New 
Jersey almost every year to fill up and enlarge, his 
orchard, ami without figii of yellows. Htill. in other 
eases he had known trees brought from that State 
that were very much diseased. 
Dr. Hyi.vt. -TER remembered that in 183G there was 
not in New Jersey one-tenth aa much of this disease 
■is now. T he New Jersey nurserymen send here for 
their pity to plant, and they evidently think that the 
disease is contagious and can be communicated from 
the pity 
Mr. Downing thought the disease could bo propa¬ 
gated by the pits. 
Mr. Hooker stated that when trees are sent from 
New Jersery to the Kouth they do not have tie 
yellows. 
Mr. Barry thought the yellows not contagious. 
Home have supposed that the disease is oommuui- 
become discouraged waiting for fruit aud laid grafted 
over their trees, but those who had not done so 
already, never would, for this year there had been 
enormous crops on all the trees.' The Northern Spy 
tree should be kept op.ni. Mr. M. thought the North¬ 
ern Spy adapted to a great variety of soils. Had 
seen it grow on warm loam, on day, and on the cold, 
wet sands just north of the ridge. It is late in leaf¬ 
ing out and in flowering, and this i., a recommenda¬ 
tion- Tlie President knew of localities where there 
seemed to bo no certainty of a crop of anything hut 
Northern Spy and Tollman Sweet, on account of Jute 
spring frosts. 
Townsend — Some 10 or 12 years ago my father 
gralted two old trees. They grew rapidly uiid soon 
ionned thrifty taps. Waited live or six years for 
fruit, find then gut out of patience and Chopped off 
the tops of the shoots to induce fruitfulness. Next 
season got nine barrels. Pul them in the cellar and 
opened latter part of March, Found two-fifths rot¬ 
ten, arid many that appeared sound were rotten in 
the center. 
Barry —The general verdict I think is that tho 
Northern Hpy is the finest of all apples, it needs 
good soil, earn, pruning, &e. But tuis is desirable 
for all trees. It is :;iid that for the Northern Hpy it, 
is more necessary than for almost any other variety, 
liiia may bo true, and it deserve* more, for it is 
better. It needs thinning, but Ibis thinning must be 
doue judiciously, or a new crop of shoot* are forced 
out This pn li ng will not be so necessary after tlu* 
treo comes into bearing. It is well known that 
wherever tho Hpy bears it gives an enormous crop. 
This bends down tho branches, cheeks the flow of 
sap for the formation of wood, and favors the forma¬ 
tion of fruit buds. These give another large crop, 
aud «o ori for years, until the ground becomes* impov¬ 
erished, the t ee stunted, and the fruit consequently 
poor and worthless. The remedy for this is to thin 
out tho fruit so us to leave only as many specimens as 
tlm tree will well mature without injury. 
L. B, Lanoworthy thought he grafted tlio first treo 
witi this variety in ti e county ot Monroe. Am had 
been said, the tree needs p un ng and has a tendon* y 
to overbear. The fruit is tine, juicy, sprightly,picy, 
aud holds its flavor longer than any apple in the 
upon quince stocks? Trees in grounds which are 
kept to produce samples of varieties of fruits are 
"specimen ” trees, aud aro not necessarily -tundart! 
trees. 
Mr. Barber thought that these were arbitrary 
terms, and we ought to havo them settled clearly. 
We want farmers to understand us according to our 
terms. A standard tree I* a tree worked upon a simi¬ 
lar stock, while a dwarf Is a tree worked upon a dis¬ 
similar stock. You may make a tree grow dwarf by 
cultivation, a-* the Chinese dwarf even tlie oak tree, 
hut these are exceptions. 
Influence of ihc Htock upou the Graft. 
IVViaT influence has the. stork upon the graft in modifying or 
changing the quidity of the fruit. 
H. T. Brooks— I think this a very important ques¬ 
tion, and I beg the attention of gentlemen who prop¬ 
agate trees, to it. We often observe tlio same 
varieties of apples growing upon different trees 
having a different flavor. Mr. 1(. thought tho char¬ 
acter of the stock Would show itself in the fruit. 
Me. Barber said many farmers believed that graft¬ 
ing an acid apple upon a sweet tree would improve 
the flavor of the fruit. 
II. N. La.no worthy had a specimen of Bellflower on 
exhibition, which he believed to be very much 
modified by being grown upon a sweet tree. 
Mi. Vick tiiouaut Ibis a question which needed 
careful investigation, anil men; surmises should not 
be advanced. He, therefore, moved that this ques¬ 
tion be postponed to tho next meeting, which was 
carried. 
Pruning at tho Time of Transplanting. 
In traneplanting trees, is pruning the tops and roots of import¬ 
ance, and if , a, under uihat tircunulwwet? 
L. Barber— In taking up trees we should take 
up all the roots wo can. Such rooty as are 
marred should be examined, and the injured 
parts should be cut away. Where the roots are 
pruned clean, there are more small roots thrown 
out from the pruned roots than from roots left 
unpruned. The top should be pruned to correspond. 
CAKES AND COOKIES. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: — Noticing that good 
recipes will be favorably received by you, 1 send a 
few for the benefit of your lady readers, which I know 
to be good. 
Fruit Cake. —One and one-half cups of butter; 3 
do. of wugar; 5 eggs; 1 j cups sour milk; l teaspoon 
of saleratns; 3 teaspoons of cinnamon; 3 do. cloves; 
2 nutmegs; 2 pounds of currants; 1 pound raisins; 
quarter of ft pound of citron; 1 gill of brandy; 4£ 
cups of flour. 
Molasses Cookies.— One pint of molasses; l egg; 
1 teacup of butter; a piece of alum tlie size of a 
walnut, dissolved in half a teacup of water; 2 tea¬ 
spoons of soda; flour enough to roll out. 
Bhqar Cookies.— Ono teacup of butter; 2 do of 
sugar; 1 cup of water; 1 teaspoon of soda; 1 egg; 1 
teaspoon of cinnamon. 
Cm* Cake.—O ne-half cup of butter; I cup of sugar; 
1 cup of buttermilk; 2 eggs; 1 teaspoon of soda; 2 
cups of flour. — H. L. Gray, Hast Springfield, Ot¬ 
sego Co., N. V. 
- ♦ » i— 
What an Old Lady Can Do. — Reading in tlie 
Rural concerning tho doings of an aged lady, and 
thinking praise due the aged, I .send you a sketch, 
which, if you think proper, you may publish. 
A lady now lives in tlie town of Gainesville, Wyo¬ 
ming Co., by the name of .1 km son, aged ninety-one 
years, seventy of which have been spent iu weaving, 
and last autumn she pared, cored, and strung, twenty 
hushels of apples. Let us women of New York fol¬ 
low her example by being industrious while life and 
strength remain. — A., A him, tine Co., 1801 . 
r • - * 
Tomato Catsoi*. — One peck tomatoes, cut in fine 
pieces; 1 teacup full white mustard seed; I do. line 
salt; 1 do. brown sugar; 1 do. nusturtion, cut fine; 
2 medium sized roots horse radish, grated; 2 do, do. 
pieces celery, cut line; 2 do. do. onions, ent fine; 2 
do. red peppers, cut line; l tablespoonful ground 
black pepper; 1 do. alspico and cloves, equal parts; 
1 teaspoonful ground cinnamon; 1 do. mace, added 
to one and a half pints good vinegar. Mix all of the 
Above thoroughly, und bottle for use,—A SuusciuBkR, 
Shrewsbury, tin., ldfil. 
V-' «- .-4 
lets Cream.—W ill some of the kind readers of the 
Rural please give a recipe for ice cream, and greatly 
oblige? — Annie, lirodcpcrrt, N. Y., 18 G 1 . 
-A ■ ♦ ■ «- 
[special notice.] 
Important.—D u Land k Co.'* Chemical Salcratus can he 
purchased from your grocers; it H pur**, healthful, and will 
produce the most deni rah In reulta,— in always reliable, and 
can he depended upon to have tho snipe effect, to-morrow, 
upon pastry, bread. Ac., a** it had to-day. Why will you 
longer use an Inferior article when you can buy Du Land k 
Co.’* Salcratua for the Name money that you have to pay for 
a worthless preparation? 1)K Land k Do.'* Saleratmt is man¬ 
ufactured at Fariport, Monmo Co., N. Y., where it is for rale 
at wholesale. The grocers in the largo villages and cities 
also wholcBalo it, and good grocer* everywhere retail it. 
