ly^^rg- 
PEAS BLIGHT -BORER OR GIRDLER. 
Great and anxious has been the inquiry, from 
all classes of cultivators of that delicious fruit, 
the pear, what is the blight? Why do the vig¬ 
orous and apparently healthy trees die, some 
slowly, some suddenly ? Is it an insect that 
stings; is it the sudden change from wet to dry, 
from scalding hot to cool; is it the sudden freez¬ 
ing of the late descending sap in fall; is it too 
much manure; is it an exhausted soil; is it want 
of shelter; change of climate from clearing 
away the forest, or is it the borer ? Who knows 
what it is ? The best answers that can be given 
are facts. Whoever knows a fact let him contrib¬ 
ute it. Perhaps there has been too much specu¬ 
lation and too little critical examination of the 
facts. 
Horticultural writers have given us two kinds 
of blight—the sun or insect blight and the frozen 
sap blight. There arc, no doubt, many more 
cases of the former than of the latter. But that 
destructive enemy of the pear tree, the borer, 
has seldom been mentioned- The author of 
“ Mv Farm of Edgewood” asserts that the borer 
does not attack the pear tree. The elder Down¬ 
ing says the same insects may affect the pear as 
the apple tree; bnt he evidently did not regard 
the borer as a dangerous enemy to the pear. 
Some half dozen other authors, examined, say 
nothing on the subject. The Gardeners’ Month¬ 
ly, for June, 1800, mentions a paper read before 
the British Bornological Society, by F. I. Gra¬ 
ham, on the ravages of the grub of Zeuaerm 
JSsculi on young pear trees, and that it ate 
round the tree, under the bark and beyond the 
alburnum, and caused the whole tree to die. 
We have never seen any further description of 
this insect; but on a critical examination of a 
hundred trees, lately lost, as was supposed by 
blight, found them all-injured by the apple tree 
borer {saperda blviilata) or mostly girdled by a 
grub as above described. This grub that works 
in the pear does not seem to go so deep as the 
borer in the a pple tree, but several large and 
small ones examined did not appear to differ from 
the saperda bivlttata , hut as its habit is so differ¬ 
ent it may be a distinct insect. ^ 
We were surprised, on examining several hun¬ 
dred trees seven years old, to find that every one 
having the appearance of disease or blight, had 
been Injured by the borer or girdler. And the 
operations of this girdler are more covered and 
less observable in the pear than the common 
borer in the apple tree, as the slang or debris is 
not so much thrown to the surface of the bark. 
The bark must be carefully scraped from just 
below the collar up a few inches above, and the 
color and appearance noted, when Us presence 
will be marked by black, hard patches or st rips 
of defective lmrk. The bark sometimes remains 
green over a portion of Ids track around the 
tree, but there is always some spot which will 
indicate his entrance or work. TkiB girdler is 
much more destructive iu the pear, than the , sa¬ 
perda bivittata in the apple tree, as the latter 
works mostly up and down the tree, whereas the 
other by making a circuit of the tree cuts off 
the flow of sap. There is little doubt that the 
250 trees we have lost heretofore, as was sup¬ 
posed by blight, were nearly all destroyed by the 
borer or girdler. A tree dying from this Insect 
has the appearance of frozen sap-blight. 
After this girdler makes the circuit of the tree it 
dies suddenly as if struck with a general blight. 
Judging from our experience, It is highly proba¬ 
ble that a large proportion of the loss of pear 
trees by what is supposed to be blight is charge¬ 
able to this girdler. They work so covertly that 
where only a casual observation is made of the 
tree it would pass for blight. It would not have 
been discovered in our case bad we not made a 
personal examination more thorough than our 
men had done. 
The trees most injured have been Glout Mor- 
ceau, Louise Bovene de Jersey, Vicar of Wink- 
field, Lawrence and Stevens’ , Genesee, both 
standard and dwarf, but all Id rids have suffered 
to some exent. The soil is a stiff' clay loam, 
well sheltered, with a drain three feet deep under 
each row of trees. The trees made a lino growth, 
bearing good crops for their age, till the fifth 
year, when some trees began to blight. Some 
250 trees have been lost out of 800 trees set. 
We noticed when taken up, to be replaced by 
new trees, that the roots were sound and only 
the trunks had died, and some of the stumps 
were grafted and grew finely, but no discovery 
of this girdler was then made. Yet these hun¬ 
dred, lately lost by this borer, have precisely the 
same appearance and no doubt died from the 
same cause. It is to be hoped that pear cultiva¬ 
tors will examine their trees and see if this 
girdler has not been stealing their life-blood in 
the name of blight. A critical examination of 
the visible facts connected with the growth and 
disease of pear trees may correct some of our 
speculative theories. s. 
---- 
PE0TECTI0N AGAINST BABBITS. 
L. L. Fairchild describes, in the Western 
Rural, a method of protecting fruit trees against 
the depredations of rabbits, which he has de¬ 
vised. It is worthy of attention. It is simply 
to take strip lath, such us is commonly sold in 
bundles, and tie it together with annealed wire 
so as to wrap it around each tree. Take two 
wires and double them; lay in one strip of lath 
and cross the wires over the edge, near each 
end; another strip, and cross the wires again, 
and so on, until it is made wide enough to wrap 
around the sized tree you wish. Fasten the ends 
with a twist. This makes a cheap, pliable pro- 
t tector that will wrap around the tree and may be 
secured by a wire or tarred string. The length 
ol the strips must be made to correspond with 
the height the trees are branched. If a tree is 
crooked, and a space is left where mice may 
GOVERNOR WOOD. 
nest, a few kernels of corn, soaked in poison, 
dropped inside, will do the business for them. 
In the summer the protectors can be removed, 
flattened out and stored in a small space until 
again wanted. If carefully housed when not in 
use, They may last a lifetime. The first cost 
being only.a. cent or two, they may be made 
generally Useful. 
SOME GOOD CHERRIES. 
When looking around among the cherries 
lately, w6 selected some, well tested and valuable 
varieties lor illustration. Our artist has made 
a faithful sketch of the cluster, with stem and 
leaves attached, and the two outlines are charac¬ 
teristic in shape and size. 
The Governor Wood was grown by Prof. 
Kirtland of Cleveland, and is one of the best 
of his numerous seedlings. The tree is vigorous 
and productive. The fruit is large; skin light 
yellow, marbled with bright red. The flesh is 
tender, juicy, rich and delicious. It ripens in 
the latter part of June, 
The Elton originated in England in 1806, and 
is well known as one of the best of cherries 
in all repects. It is a 
cross-bred variety, raised fS 
from the Bigarreau or 
Gradon, and the White 
Heart for its male parent. 
The trees grow very vig¬ 
orous, and are distinguish¬ 
ed by the dark red color 
of the foot stalks of the 
leaves. The fri uit is large, 
usually pointed, heart- \, 
shaped; color pale yellow \\ 
on the shaded side, hut -- 
matted and streaked with z', \ 
bright red on the reverse; / \ 
flesh nearly tender, juicy, l jl 
and with an exceedingly y jl 
rich flavor. Season mid- . 'll 
die to last of June. \ J! 
The Napoleon Bigarrean \ // 
is one of the finest of the 
firm-fleshed cherries. It elton. 
was introduced into this country from Holland. 
Color pale yellow iu the shade, spotted with 
NAPOLEON BIGARREAU. 
deep red, with a dark crimson cheek; flesh very 
firm, juicy, and finely flavored; stalk stout aud 
short and set in a narrow cavity. It is a good 
and constant bearer. Season from first to mid¬ 
dle of July. 
FREAKS OF NATTJEE. 
The Gardener’s Monthly, in an article on the 
influence of the graft on the stock, gives a figure 
of a pear tree made by grafting on a mountain 
ash some distance above the ground. In such 
instances, as is well known, all above the graft 
is pear wood, pear hark, pear shoots, leaves and 
fruit; and all below is mountain ash—the green 
bark on each part possessing the power of giving 
the finishing touch to the descending juices, and 
making pear wood in one case ami mountain ash 
iu the other. But in the case mentioned the 
pear juice appears to have passed unchanged 
some, distance below, for seven inches down from 
the union, a clear and distinct pear shoot comes 
out from the mountain ush stock. 
Nurserymen arc familiar with the fact that dif¬ 
ferent varieties of apples and other Traits, when 
worked ou seedling stocks, modify the character 
of the. roots. The Tuilman Sweeting, for exam¬ 
ple, is always furnished with large, coarse shoots, 
and the Fellow Bell-flower a mass of small fibers 
—no matter what the character of the stocks 
may be. A communication in the same number 
of the Gardeners’ Monthly contains a curious 
illustration of this principle. Paradise stocks 
which have small fibrous roots, were budded 
with the St. Lawrence, which lias very few and 
strong ones. The St. Lawrence imparted to 
these Paradise roots Its own peculiar large and 
strong branches. But there was one singular 
exception. One of these trees was furnished 
with the usual small Paradise roots, except that 
about two inches below the bud, a solitary St. 
Lawrence root had shot out and become fully 
equal in diamatcr to the trunk of the tree, and a 
broad and very distinct ridge extended from this 
root to the bud, showlug plainly the connection 
between the two. 
As already observed, the jfface of union is the 
line of separation between the two kinds. If a 
shoot spring out below the pear top on a quince 
bottom, that shoot will he quince. Rare excep¬ 
tions may occur, as in the case cited from the 
Gardeners’ Monthly. Some degree of influence 
extends below, as indicated by the libers of the 
roots. But as a general rale for practice, the 
essential distinctive characters of every variety 
remain unchanged, no matter what the stock 
may be which it grows upon; all above will re¬ 
semble the graft, and all below will be the un¬ 
changed stock. It is true that the fruit is some¬ 
times thus modified in quality, hut is never 
changed in its peculiar characteristics.— Culti¬ 
vator. 
§<jrt Cultural ftotw atua QuMiw 
- 
-An Elementary Treatise on American Grape 
Culture and Wink Making. By PetekB. Mead. 
Illustrated with nearly 200 En-ravings, drawn from 
Nature. [10 mo.— pp, 483 ] New York: Uumer & 
Brothers. 
The vine-growing interest of this country is deep¬ 
ly indebted to the few authors who have gathered, 
condensed ana properly shaped the experience and 
knowledge of practical value to the Americau Vinc- 
yardist. Our cultivators stumbled on the highways 
of failuru under European guidance, until pioneers 
boldly marched into new paths, und indicated the 
course to ultimate success through Americau experi¬ 
ence with American varieties of grapes. Mr. Mead’s 
work ts elementary—such as, iu the present state of 
vine culture with multitudes of beginners seeking 
eagerly for the simplest knowledge, is of the greatest 
practical value to the community. Bringing to his 
aid numerous and beautiful illustrations, he treats 
ably the subjects of climate, location, exposure, shel¬ 
ter, preparation of the soil, manures, laying out and 
planting the vineyard, propagation of vines, stakes and 
trelffses, &c. A very prominent feature in his work 
are the chapters on pruning and training; the modes 
ordinarily practiced are. described, and the Qncsnel, ( 
Guyot, Charnaux and Thomcry systems arc given in ( 
full. Then there are chapters on Varieties, Taste, as j 
applied to Fruits, Diseases and Insects, and In the 
concluding chapters I he art of Wine Making Is briefly 
discussed. 
In the chapter on varieties the author has com¬ 
mitted a blunder which detracts seriously from the 
otherwise unqualified pralso we should accord Ills 
work. No better specimen of special pleading can 
be found in the current horticultural advertising of 
the day thau that the author makes for three com¬ 
paratively untested grapes, namely, the lamella, Iona, 
and the “ new seedling in the possession of Dr. 
Grant.” Neither good judgment nor hardly sin¬ 
cerity can be accorded to an author who, in a pro¬ 
fessed elementary work writ ton fur the use and in¬ 
struction of the grape growers or a broad land like 
this, unqualifiedly places a new grape, which as yet 
has not furnished wine to moisten the Hps of an un¬ 
biased tasting committee, at the head of the list as 
best adapted to all localities and purposes. Hardly 
would the majority of tile vine-growers on the hanks 
of the Hudson concede to it this position in its native 
locality,—much less will it be accepted by Southern 
and Western vineyardlats. Let Mr. Mead reflect that 
in the viue-growitig districts of the Old World, where 
the experience of centuries lias taught them some 
accurate knowledge of the culture, that not even they 
have discovered the best, variety, and that soil and 
climate bo modify the habits and productions of a 
vino that it. may be the best in some localities and 
the poorest In others. Reading his chapter on varie¬ 
ties in the light of experience, wo cannot assent to 
tin- author’s assertion in his preface that he 11 in¬ 
dulges in no theorizing speculations and introduces 
nothiug of doubtful verification." Wo are surprised, 
Indeed, that, with tho clear Insight and breadth of 
view the antlior shows when discussing other topics, 
he should have permitted either friendship or pecu¬ 
niary Interest to betray him into the hands of Dr. 
Gbant, and cause him to sink the character of impar¬ 
tial judge to that of a time-serving advocate. 
For sulo by Steele & Aveby. 
A Promising Skkdt.INO Strawberry.— The most 
promising seedling strawberry that has come under 
our notice this year Is one originated by Messrs. 
Ellwanhicu & Uabry of this city. Of thousands 
which they have grown and tested iu past years this 
is the only one which they deem worthy of preserva¬ 
tion. Its parent is the Triomphe de Gaud, and six 
years experience with it, part of the time on a large 
scale, by the side of other standard varieties as u 
market fruit, has done much to decide Us merits. 
We saw it lu a field lately side by side with Wilson, 
Early Scarlet, Triomphe, Russell, and others, and its 
appearance there would place it ahead of those vari¬ 
eties for value as a market fruit, both on account of 
productiveness ami hardinesB. If It sustains Its pres¬ 
ent character when disseminated it will prove a most 
valuable acquisition. We have high expectations of 
it, and shall make it more familiar to our readers in 
the future. 
-- 
Culture of Cauliflowers. —S. N. II. writes:— 
“One step to their successful growth is good soil 
frequently stirred. Another is, that the ground 
should bo highly fertilized wit h well decomposed ma¬ 
nure. With so much accomplished, a rich harvest 
ought to he Insured. Bur it Is not then certain. In 
my experience, after successfully combating snails 
and insects, 1 noticed several plants in a drooping 
condition. Failing to discover the cause above earth, 
I dug them out anil found grubs and worms at the 
bottom eating them up. With some aid, they emi¬ 
grated at once, the plants were reset and frequently 
watered, and most of them are now growing finely.” 
- 
Succession of Crops.— The crops that have inn- 
tured in the garden, as salad, peas, early potatos. 
radishes— slion Id be cleared away and the ground 
planted with other vegetables. Celery, cabbage, tur¬ 
nips and cucumbers are yet in order. Old strawberry 
beds should be turned over, the ground manured, und 
pot to immediate use. 
Strawberry Beds.— Old beds may be renewed by 
spading up the vines so as to leave them in rows 
throe feet apart. Pulverize aud enrich the cultivated 
strips, and train the runners over them so as to form 
fresh masses of plants for next year’s bearing. This 
work should be done immediately. 
Raspberries and Blackiierries. — Pinch off the 
young shoots that have grown this season for next 
year’s bearing. This throws the growth into the side 
brunches, and ensures more fruit next year, besides 
stiffening the canes against the force of t he wind. 
Tall Growing Flowers should be supported by 
being tied to abort stakes thrust down near the stems 
so as to be mostly concealed by the foliage. 
Shelling Peas. —After picking tho peas for 
dinner, I found it no small job to got them out 
of tho pod; so, to facilitate matters, took tho 
liberty to run them through the clothes wringer, 
stem end Urst. With one to turn, aud one with 
nimble lingers to handle, the pods, enough may 
be shelled iu half au hour to feed a general train¬ 
ing. Everybody ought to have a wringer aud 
green peus ; therefore everybody will try it, and 
charge the expense to— Yorick. 
Cherry Bounce. — To one pint of pie cher¬ 
ries add two pints of black cherries fully ripe; 
place these in a demijohn and cover with whisky; 
stand away until about. Christmas, when, strain¬ 
ing, add to 1 quart of juice 1 pound of sugar; 
sfymd away for some time to dissolve; then bot¬ 
tle off', and it will be fit for use. 
now to Cook Vegetable Oysters.—I would 
like a good recipe for cooking the vegetable oys¬ 
ter. Will some one of your subscribers answer ? 
and oblige—s. f. c. 
Inquiry. — A Rural friend does very much 
want a recipe for coloring red for carpet rags. 
Can you furnish one ? and oblige— The Friend. 
jfaw gytUwtfoimittts. 
rpHE GREAT EUROPEAN STEAWBEBEY 
1 DU- WICAISII. 
Plants ready for delivery after August 15th, $1 each ; 
*11) S* dozen. Sec lUnatratton in Rural, oage 215, Send 
your orders early. Racking free. MARK D. WILLSON. 
No. U»5 North st., Rochester, N. Y. iei2-:a 
W ANTED- An Agent in Each Town 
and County lu the United States, to introduce 
SPEAR’S PRESERVING SOLUTION, 
LIBERAL INDUCEMENTS OFFERED! 
Thissolntlon will preserve all kinds of Fruits, Tomatoes, 
.Tellies. Cider. Milk, etc., without uli-llghting and with 
or without sugar. It admits of keeping fruits. *n„ in 
vessels of any size, and of using therefrom at. Intervals 
as wanted. 
it wilt preserve milk sweet from 21 to 30 hours longer 
than it. would naturally keep, causing It. to furnish in<..r« 
cream iu hot weather. 
It t» warranted perfectly healthful and etfeetnat, and 
can be relied upon as being the cheapest and best method 
In the world for preserving fruits, Ac. Full directions 
for using with each bottle. L. P. WOUUALL, 
General Agent, No. 91 Hudson St., New York City. 
rji ii k 
GftEiT 
TEA 
VRLVm VN 
COMPANY 
Dtamfsllc 3Ecoaomg. 
VARIOUS ORIGINAL RECIPES, &c. 
To Press Chicken.— Stow the chicken until 
the meat separates easily from the bones; put 
it in a pan with the gravy and a little butter be¬ 
tween each layer of meat; put a press upon It. 
Ready for use in twenty-four hours. 
To Varnish Autumn Leaves.—U se common 
furniture varnish, rather thin. 
To Can Pieplant. —Stew it tender in water; 
put it In a jug. Warranted to keep. 
To Stiffen C'ajne Bottom Chairs. —Turn 
them up and with a sponge and strong soap 
suds soak them well, and they will be as stiff' 
as uew. 
Inquiries.— 1. How is horseradish cultivated, 
and how prepared for market ? 
3, How is a rookery made, and where is the 
most suitable place to put it.— Mrs. L. 
Currant Jelly.— Put your currants in a hell- 
metal kettle, and scald them well; when cool, 
press them through a sieve, getting out all the 
juice, (be careful not to allow any skin or seeds 
to pass through the sieve ,) measure the juice, 
put it back lu the kettle, and let it boil hard for 
live or six minutes, skimming it well; then add, 
while on the lire boiling, one pound of sifted 
loaf sugar to eveiy pint of juice; stir it till dis¬ 
solved, which will be lu a few minutes; it ought 
not to boil after the sugar is in; all,that is neces¬ 
sary is to have it well dissolved, and then it is 
done and ready to put iu tumblers. It has a 
beautiful light color, and will keep lor years. 
HAVE JUST RECEIVED 
TWO FULL CARGOES 
FINEST NEW CROP TEAS, 
29,000 HALF CIIESTH by ship Golden State. 
12,000 HALF CHE8Trt by ship Gicorok Shotton 
In addition to these 1 urge, cargoes of Black aud 
Japan Tens, the Company are constantly receiving 
large invoices of the finest quality ol' Green Teas 
from the Moyune districts of Chinn, which are uatL 
vailed for Oneness and delicacy of flavor, which they 
are selling at the following prices: 
OOLONG (Black,) Me., BO., 70c., 80c., 90c., best *1 IS* n>. 
MIXED (Green and Black,) 50c.,fl0e.,70c., 80c., 90c., best 
It« n>. 
ENGLISH BREAKFAST 50c., 00c., 70c.,80c., 90c,|l, *1,10, 
best *1,20 w n.. 
IMPERIAL (Green,) 50c., 00c„ 70c., 80c., 90c., *1, *1,10, 
best *1,25 V n>. 
YOUNG HYBON (Green,) 50c., 60c., 70c., 80c., 90c., |1, 
*t,10, best *1,39 lb. 
UNCOLOEKD JAPAN, DOc., *1, *1,10, best *1,25 ¥ tt. 
GUNPOWDER *1,25, best *1,50 F lb. 
Coffees Roasted and Ground Daily, 
Ground Coffee, 20c„ '25c.,800.,35c., best 10c. per pound. 
Hotels, Saloons, Boarding House Keepers and Families, 
who nsc large quantities of Coffce.caii economise In that 
article by using our French Breakfast and Dinner Coffee, 
Which we sell at the low price of 30c. per pound, and 
warrant to give perfect satisfaction. 
Consumers can save trom 50c. to *1 per pound by pur¬ 
chasing their Teas of the 
THE GREAT AMERICAN TEA COMPANY, 
Nos. 31 and 33 Vesey St., 
Post-OUice Box, 5643 New York City. 
We warrant all tho goods wo sell to give entire satis¬ 
faction. If they are not satisfactory they can be return, 
ed at our expense within 30 days, and have the money 
refunded. 
Through our system of supplying Clubs throngbout 
the country, consumers in all parts of the United States 
can receive their Teas at the same prices (with tho Bmall 
additional expense «f transportation) as though they 
bought them an our warehouses In this city. 
Some parties Inquire or us how they shall proceed to 
get up aclnb. The answer Isslmply this:—Let each per¬ 
son wishing to join In a club, say how much tea or collee 
he wauls, and select the kind aud price from our Price 
List, as published lu the paper or in our circulars. Write 
thu names, kinds, aud amounts plainly on a list, and when 
tile club Is complete send It to us by mall, and wo will put 
each party's goods in separate packages, und mark tlie 
name upon them, with the cost, so there need be no con¬ 
fusion In (heir distribution — each party getting exactly 
what he orders, and no more. The cost ol transporta¬ 
tion the members of the club can divide equitably among 
themselves. 
The funds to pay for the goods ordered can be sent by 
drafts on New York, by post-office money orders, or by 
Express, as may suit tho convenience of the Club. Or, tf 
the amount ordered exceed *30, wo will, if desired, send 
the goods by Express io “ collect on delivery." 
Hereafter we will send a complimentary package to the 
party getting np the Chit). Our profits are small, but we 
will be as liberal as we can afford. We send no compli¬ 
mentary package for Clubs of less titan *30. 
N. B. All villages and towns where a large number 
reside, by clubbing together, can reduce the cost of their 
Tens and Coffees about one-third by sending directly 
to the GaBAT American Tea Company. 
BEWARE of all concerns that advertise themselves 
as branches ol our Establishment, or copy our name 
either wholly or in part, as they are bogus or imitations. 
We have no branches, and do not, In any case, authorize 
the use of our name. 
Z?f~ Pom- office orders ami drafts make payable to the 
order* f Great American Tea Company. Direct letters 
and orders to 
GREAT AMERICAN TEA COMPANY, 
31 and 33 Vesey Street. 
Post-Office Box, 56-13 New York city. 
