CF) 
JJomoIogical. 
PEACHES: 
A Description' of llio Up«i V urictlc* known, 
and Instructions for Cultivators. 
BT J. WILKINSON. 
Having recently obtained from a very 
reliable gentleman of my acquaintance, and 
an extensive punch eultairist, a large amount 
of valuable information on Ibis subject, I 
have decided to report the same for the bene¬ 
fit of the readers of the Rural. The varie¬ 
ties that 1 shall descril* ore such as arc 
grown*by E. K. Couhkan, Esq.,Middletown, 
Del.,, who is an extensive (teach grower, and 
the most scientific one with whom I am ac¬ 
quainted in this country. It is duo Mr. C. 
that T should state, that he kindly com¬ 
municated f lic following valuable data to me, 
at my request, with the understanding that 1 
desired to publish the same. 1 was induced 
to solicit his views and experience on the 
subject, which he has been twenty years or 
more in acquiring, from the fact that I had 
visited his extensive peach orchards, and 
was familiar, M some extent, with his suc¬ 
cess and skill in the business. 
Mr. 0. grows and recommends sixteen 
varieties, the characteristics of each of 
which lie carefully describes, ami which, for 
convenience, 1 shall number in t he catalogue 
in which they are named in order, from the 
earliest to the “ Last of the Reason.” 
ijst EMu;tverM3 Tin; most valuable, jiaicickt 
AM) CAM 11.Y VARIETIES, 
1. Hale's Einiy. 9. Hi" nip flu; World. 
,3. Troth's K rlv. 10. Urawford'.s Late, 
a. Early Yurit.- lb Ward's Late. 
4. Crawford Early. 13. Smock Free. 
5, Moore’s FavoiUcu IS. Crockett While. 
0. Mary’s choice. 14. Vundyko's Favorite. 
7. Mixon Free. 15. bust of the Season. 
8. lleeve's Fuvoritc. 
No. 1 is a comparatively new poach, hav¬ 
ing been grown but four or five years. Is 
the earliest variety known; and is extensive¬ 
ly cultivated. The tree, a rapid grower, 
fruits early, many trees bearing'at. two years 
old. Fruit medium size, very melting and. 
of delicious flavor. The demand for this 
variety has been so great that the price has 
been three to four times highxr than good 
older varieties. One peach grow er in Dela¬ 
ware has 7,000 of No. 1 in an orchard of 
10,000 trees. The earliest variety brings a 
high price. 
No; 2 ripens ten days to two weeks- later; 
it is a well known and favorite variety,, gen¬ 
erally small,—the smallest of any in the list; 
rather dry and mealy, not ascertain a bearer 
as many others, but succeeds the Male’s 
Early, and matures before the Early York, 
hence is largely planted and grow*. 
No. II is a superior peach in all respects, 
matures about ten days later than No. 2, is 
fine size, trees very hardy and thrifty. It, 
is one of the most reliable varieties; the skin 
has a pretty blush ; flesh white. 
No. 4 ripens six to eight days- later than 
No. 8, is a very largo, delicious, yellow 
peach and an excellent hearer. 
No. 5 ripens six to eight days Mer than 
No. 4, is a white fruit with bright blush, J 
very large and delicious, is not considered so j 
great a bearer as some other varieties, hut its 
superior quality gives it great popularity. 
No. (5 is rather a shy bearer, ripens neatly 
simultaneously with No. 5, is rather n new 
variety, is not planted very extensively, but 
it is a good, large, yellow poach. 
No. 7 is considered a No. 1 peach in -all 
respects, and is claimed by many to be the 
most profitable variety of any in the list. It 
is of fine size and a great bearer. 
No. 8 is a splendid yellow pencil, and is 
the largest known. It is not a great hearer, 
but the fruit is so attractive, on account of 
its size, that all will have it; it matures so as 
to succeed No. 7, and perpetuate the supply. 
No. 9 is six to eight days later than No. 8, 
is very hard to excel in any particular, aiul 
is of the same family as Crawford’s Early. 
No, 10 is of the same character as Craw¬ 
ford’s Early, only it is later; is a fine, large, 
yellow peach, is generally considered a very 
profitable variety. It ripens four to live 
days later than No. 0. 
No. 11 ripens eight to ten days later than 
No. 10, is a good peach, but not a great 
bearer. Mr. C. recommends not to plant 
more than one-half or three-fourths as many 
of this as of No. 12. 
No. 12 is a tart yellow fruit, a great bearer, 
extensively grown; is about the last ol the 
standard varieties. 
No* 13 is an excellent variety, a good 
bearer, and ripens in time to succeed No. 12, 
thus perpetuating the regular supply. 
No. 14 is a large yellow ding, and the only 
cling in the list; it is not extensively culti¬ 
vated by growers generally. 
No. 15, “The Last of the Season,” as its 
name indicates, is the latest peach known; it. 
is rather a new variety, is large, with a green¬ 
ish yellow skin. 
The above, list has been Compiled with 
great care, and will be found perfectly relia¬ 
ble by all who may desire to plant a large 
orchard for market production. 
Those who only desire to plant two hun- 
3CXAK RICHMOND APPL6 AND OUTLINE 
dred to three hundred trees, I would advise 
to plant about the same number of each 
variety enmerated in the list, and add a few 
of “ Heath’s Cling,” a valuable variety far 
preserving in brandy. To those who may 
desire to plant two thousand trees, I would 
recommend all the varieties in the following 
| portions:—Hales Early, 150; Troth’s Early, 
75; Early York, 200; Crawford's Early, 800; 
Moore’s Favorite, 200; Mary’s Choice, 50; 
Mixon Free, 200; Reeves’ Favorite, 50; Red 
Rareripe, 50; Stump the World, 200 ; Craw¬ 
ford’s Late, 200; Ward’s Late, 75; Smock 
Free, 200; Crockett White, 50; Vandyke’s 
Favorite, 50; Last of the Season, 50; Total, 
2,000. Many other varieties of the peach 
have been carefully tested by our extensive 
growers, but have been found wanting. 
The peach will grow on any soil not too 
wet and tenacious; it ripens and colors 
best on light sandy land, hut the heaviest' 
crops arc produced on good loams. The 
poach harvest in Delaware extends through 
the months of August and September. The 
practice, with ihe best growers, is to make 
three pickings of each variety. The mode 
of planting and cultivating the peach in dis¬ 
tricts, where it is most extensively grown, is 
to plow the land as for corn, and mark out 
the orchard in squares of twenty feet each 
way, and plant a tree where the furrows 
cross, which requires one hundred and eight 
trees to the acre. In this latitude we plant 
from the 20th of March to the 10th of May. 
The holes are dug about, one foot square and 
one foot in depth. An active man will dig 
three hundred to five hundred holes per 
day, according to the character of the soil. 
The trees should not he set more than half 
an inch deeper than they stood in the 
nursery. 
1 have seen au orchard of thirty acres 
which yielded in three crops a net profit of 
$7,000; another orchard of 3,000 trees yield¬ 
ed, net, $11,000, and another party in the 
same neighborhood had, last year, an un¬ 
usually unfavorable one, 4,000 baskets, 
which brought him nearly $20,000. Mar¬ 
keting peaches from this district coats, thirty- 
five cents per basket, when sent to New 
York by rail. 
The soil should not be too fertile, as it 
causes the trees to make an excess of wood, 
and little fruit. Land which will produce 
but thirty bushels of corn per acre, is con¬ 
sidered preferable to that which will yield 
sixty bushels per acre. 
The peach trees are all budded, and are 
taken from the nursery usually one year after 
they are budded. All the limbs are. removed, 
and the main stem headed back to three fret, 
in height, after they are set in 1 lie orchard. 
Alter the peach orchard is planted in squares 
of twenty feet, the intervening land is fur¬ 
rowed, or marked out so as to have four hills 
between the peach trees each way, and ihe 
land is cropped with corn three consecutive 
years, and if the land will produce thirty to 
forty bushels of corn per acre, no manure 
will hr required until the fourth year, when 
it would be better to crop with potatoes and 
manure them well. The land should be well 
cultivated annually, whether it is cropped or 
not. The trees will bear some the second 
year after planting in the orchard,but should 
not be allowed to bear many ; the third year 
they may he allowed to bear a fair crop. 
The usual practice is to cultivate the or¬ 
chard after the third year, hut not to crop. 
One hundred dollars per acre is considered a 
low net profit for a peach orchard in full 
hearing. 
•—-<►+-♦- 
THE RICHMOND APPLE. 
Trris fine sweet apple originated in the 
orchard of D. C. Richmond, Esq., near San¬ 
dusky, O. The tree is quite hardy wherever 
it has been grown, and is a regular, annual 
productive bearer of an even, regular fruit 
of full medium size. It was first described 
in Elliott’s Fruit Book, and correctly, ex¬ 
cept that in size it is from medium to large, 
and that almost all specimens are one side 
enlarged—or “ sides unequal,” Color “ light 
yellow ground, mostly or quite overspread 
with light and dark red stripes, many dots or 
specks of light russet; stem varying, mostly 
very short and slender; cavity, deep open, 
regular, a little brownish at bottom; calyx 
large; segments long, basin deep, open, uni¬ 
formly furrowed; flesh white, tender,juicy, 
delicate, sweet; core medium; sueds large, 
full. Season October to December. 
-♦v*- 
DUCHESSE DE BORDEAUX PEAR. 
We give herewith an outline ot this win¬ 
ter pear, which is attracting attention, from 
! a French drawing. Dr. J. S. Houghton of 
j Philadelphia, Pa., who introduced it about 
eight years ago, w rites that this engraving of 
it, issued by M. Leroy, Angers, France, is 
not strictly accurate, as the pear grows in 
this country — that the fruit of it ho has 
grown has the stem set. almost, square in the 
centre and not on one side as in the engrav¬ 
ing. Wchave another engraving preparing 
from the American grown fruit, which we 
shall print. Dr. Houghton furnishes us the 
following history of this pear: 
“ About eight years ago, I imported a 
number of these trees from France, with 
some other varieties, and planted them in 
my specimen grounds near Philadelphia. 
The trees were three or four years old, on 
quince stock, and fruited the second season, 
very abundantly. I was much struck with 
the bright, robust appearance of the trees, 
and with the size and beauty of the fruit, 
and watched the trees with much interest.. 
The description of the trees and fruit as sent 
out by Andre Leroy, Angers, France, was 
as follows: 
imrnrssE tif. Bordeaux Pba a. —Medium- 
steed, two mid n half inches long and seven and 
a half In circumference;form roundish, irroani- 
IftV, tiiitirieated, very oflen swollen on one side, 
lluttened and sometimes even drawn In on the 
other, and divided from the tal ler by a deep su¬ 
ture, which rein lies from ihe eye lo the stem.* it 
is dented, and its surface is uneven. The stem 
is about three quarters of an inch long, bent 
add planted in its surface, but bearing' at Its In¬ 
sertion on one side only a small nipple, fully 
characteristic. The eye Is large and big enough, 
placed in a deep unt ily. The skin is very thick 
and rough, of ti deep brownish yellow, blit some 
parts ol it are. Iiowcn er, of a lighter yellow. As 
l.o the form and eolor ii hen it* some likeness to 
the Fortune© Pear. The flesh is of a yellowish 
white, fine and melting, sweet and very juicy, 
it i* n delicious pear, eipnil in quality, and is In 
truth superior to any kind of winter pear, with¬ 
out excepting the Easter lietirre. ii begins to 
ripen in February, and continues in perfect state 
through March and April. Originated by M. 
Skciikr, near Angers. 1’roin ft Jot Of wild pear 
seeds. It is very productive. 
“ The fruit produced on my trees was of 
large size, resembling in form the Beurre 
Did and Doyenne Boussock, There was 
one peculiarity about the fruit which led me 
to think it would be a good keeper, and that 
was the extreme thickness and toughness of 
the skin, which bad a thick twilled appear¬ 
ance, like the skin of some Havana oranges. 
I had formed the opinion that no pear with 
a thin, delicate skin, easily bruised, could 
ever become a good keeper, for winter use. 
“ For several years I tested the keeping 
qualities of this pear by putting (hem in 
stone jars in a common cellar, and in boxes, 
in cool rooms, with no special packing, or 
other care, and found it to keep till Febru¬ 
ary, March, and April, sound and good, and 
to ripen up and color, in a melting condition, 
overflowing with rich, sweet, aromatic juice, 
delicious and refreshing, and nearly first- 
rate in quality, as compared with all pears, 
and positively first-rate as compared with 
winter pears. 
“The tree T found to be a very strong 
grower, resembling in its apppearance and 
the color of the wood, the Duchesse d,An- 
gouleme, the Bartlett, and the Edmonds. It 
resembled these trees just named also in size 
and number of its fruit buds, and in its as¬ 
tonishing prolific and fruitful tendency. I 
soon discovered that it would never fully 
prove its good qualities on the quince stock, 
as it had such a fatal tendency to overbear 
while young, and the union with the quince 
root was imperfect. 1 then commenced to 
double-work it by grafts, and ordered a 
quantity budded on pear stock by nursery 
men in Western New York. 
“The trees have continued to bear every 
year, when almost every other variety has 
been injured by spring frosts, and the fruit 
has been fair and satisfactory. The skin is 
so tough and dense that, the Cureulio seems, 
by instinct, to avoid it as an unfavorable 
resting place for its eggs, and hence it is less 
marked with crescent cuts 
than other pears. Fungus, 
also, does not, appear to find 
a congenial soil in its outer 
coating, and thus it escapes 
the unsightly black spots of 
that destructive excres¬ 
cence. 
“ I have a large number 
of trees and grafts of this 
pear, now ready for bear¬ 
ing, and hope, at the meet¬ 
ing of the National Pouio- 
logical Society, next, au¬ 
tumn, to be able to exhibit, 
some good specimens of the 
fruit . I know of no winter 
pear which can compare 
with it for size, beauty, 
keeping qualities, and gene¬ 
ral excellence, and no tree 
more hardy, thrifty, robust 
and fruitful. In 1868 I wrote to Andre 
Leroy, making inquiries respecting the suc¬ 
cess of this pear in France, and received 
the following answer : 
A no Fits, France, August 7, ISflfl. 
The Duchesse tie Bordeaux Fear was raised 
by M. gecher, at Montjoan, near Angers, about 
twenty years ago. He had the kindness about 
six years ago to offer us some specimens of ihe 
fruit, and some scions ol his tree, to propagate 
it. We find the-fruit very first-rate, and one ot 
the most precious Will tor penis, ri keeps till 
March find April in a perfectly good state, ti is 
a good grower, both on quince and pear slocks, 
mid also a good bearer. H is lmt, very little 
known, nevertheless its reputation is iiicreoatug 
among all persons who have to-ted it- It has 
not yet fruited with us on pour stock. \V e has e 
givtit eonfidunoo that this pear, when more ex¬ 
tensively known, will become one of the most 
favorite with the public. It is as yet but little 
known out of France. 
Yours, very truly, 
Andre Leroy. 
“I may add, that this Pear lias not been 
mentioned in any English or American Cata¬ 
logue, or Bornological work, and there is, 
I believe, no synonym of it. The 1 Due do 
Bordeaux’ mentioned in some catalogues is 
not the same. The Duchesse d’llivcr re¬ 
sembles it, in wood and buds, but I am satis- 
fled that it is not, the same tree. Dr. Hogg, 
in the English Manual of Pomology, does 
not mention it, nor does Mr. Rivers in his 
lists. 
“ J have no trees for sale. I have supplied 
buds to two nursery firms in Western New 
York, who have budded some hundreds of 
trees on pear stocks, at my request, aud 
who wilt in due time, no doubt, announce 
trees for sale, on their own account. For 
myself, if I shall be the means of introducing 
to public notice a fine winter pear, of large 
size and high quality, which oan be grown 
by everybody and ripened up, with little care 
and skill, like a russet apple, I shall feel 
abundantly rewarded for the care and atten¬ 
tion which I have given this tree.” 
-♦♦♦- 
Four of the Most Profitable Sweet C herries. — 
“Will von please name four of tile most profit¬ 
able varieties of the sweet, cherries ? f want them 
to grow for the Chicago market; and although 
wo have no difficulty in growing any of tlio vari¬ 
eties, we find many of them to rot or decay so 
Soon after, or before ripening, as to promise a 
doubt of their hereafter proving profitable as u 
crop." — \V., St. Joseph, Mich. 
We take the above question from a dozen or 
more of similar import received during the past 
week. The rot or decay known to injure the sweet 
cherries lavs been most destructive, so l'ar, upon 
varieties of medium time of ripening. The early 
and late varieties have been the most exempt 
from tlie disease. By reference to our note¬ 
book, and from our observation and practical 
handling during tiie past ten years, we are dis¬ 
posed In answer our correspondent's question as 
to which are the best and most profitable four 
varieties of sweet cherries by naming, Early Pur- 
ple FuigriC, Rockport. Pontiac and Hod Jacket. 
Tiiis is a pretty severe sifting of the list, and will 
probably find those disposed to take exception; 
but wo feel confident I here is more money in an 
orchard made up of these four sorts than in that 
of any other select ion that can be made. If one 
or two more sorts were to be added, we should 
name Monstreuso de Mezel and Osceola. 
-- 
Home Beauty Apple. In the Hitraj. of the fith 
Instant, (under or In Fanner's Club items.) you 
have the Horae Beauty us originated in Home, 
N. Y. Is il I lie sorne that Wakdf.ii has fin ills 
Amerteun Pomology on page 485) as the Rome 
Bounty or Grtx.ETT’8 seedling,) originated in 
Home, Galia County, Ohio/ Mr. Gin i.-rr got 
a lot or young trees from the Putnam nursery, 
in Union, (now Muskingum) township, Wash¬ 
ington County, Ohio. The Home Beauty was 
one of the trees. I have eaten apples from the 
first tree ever engrafted in this county, this 
winter— J.P.Dkvox, Mupk Shade, ()., lull ., I860. 
We thank our correspondent for correcting 
the statement of the eminent Pomological Pro¬ 
fessor of the Farmer's Club. Warder, Down¬ 
ing, Elliott and Barry agree that it is of Ohio 
origin. 
---- 
Tompkins County King Apple.—I see by an 
lb*ui you have published from a correspondent 
"f the Now England Farmer, thal large trees, 
fifteen to six 11 ,( n years old. of the King Tomp¬ 
kins County Apple do not. bear well. For my 
own Information, and by request, I write to eail 
out an expression from any who may have ex¬ 
perience on this subject, through the Rural, 
t hat arc the beating and keeping qualities of 
the above named apple? In what kind of soil 
d< ics it t h ri vc ltest, so i idy or clayey "( -L. Rogers, 
Edinburg , O., 1809. 
-♦♦♦- 
Apples for Maryland,— The following list of 
apples is recommended In the American Farmer 
as best adapted for general cultivation and pro- 
ductlveneas in Maryland: 
Summer Vurtcth*. American Summer Pear- 
main, Early Harvest, Early Strawberry, largo 
Early Bough, Red Astraclmn, Carolina Red June. 
h'idl Varieties. Holland Pippin, Maiden’s Blush, 
Bell Flower, English Hedstreak, Dominie. 
Winter Vartoti a*.— Baldwin, Hubbordston’s 
Noiie-sucli, Si'i'k-no-fui'ther, Smith’s Cider, Tul- 
pchuckcn, Large Paradise, Long Island Russet, 
Michael Henry Pippin, I’omme d'Api, or Lady 
Apple, Esopus fodlzenberg. 
-- 
Fourth of July and Tctofsky Apple*.—An Ohio 
Correspondent of the Prairie Farmer writes: 
“The fruit of these varieties is similar, and c®uld 
easily bo mistaken, one for Ihe other; but the 
young wood of the Fourth of July is long, strong 
and of dark color, while that of the other is 
short, thick and red. One of our most noted 
pomologists, writing to me. says: ‘The wood of 
Tctofsky and Fourth ot July are distinct, and I 
am glad the mistake lias been discovered before 
it was made fully public.' The fruit and leaves 
are very much alike, but the wood is distinct.’ 
Mr. Batoham always claimed that they were two 
distinct varieties, and I believe It is now con¬ 
ceded that he was correct." 
-♦♦♦ 
Curry’s Red Winter Apple. TheSouthcrn Cul¬ 
tivator thus describes this new Southern fruit: 
“This variety bails from Eastern North Caro¬ 
lina. The size of the fruit, is from medium to 
largo, oblong in form, with a small cavity, and 
slender stem about Lhreo-fonrths of un inch 
long; biisili, hu ge ; calyx,large and open ; color, 
a yellow* ground, nearly covered wiili pale red, 
and spotted with yellow spots and russet specks; 
fiesh, while and solid, keeps well into January; 
of excellent aromatic siibitcid flavor; tree, vig¬ 
orous and very productive; quality of the fruit, 
nearly bed. 
•-- 
Keeping Apples.—A correspondent of the 
Northern Farmer kept Westfield Seek T no-fur- 
thers until June, and tells us how he keeps his 
apples'“My method is to make at one side of 
ihe cellar a bureau, with shallow drawers three 
or four inches deep; it will do just as well if it 
is rough uml cheap, lull it is best to be made of 
thin, light board. I then put a single layer of 
apples in each drawer, ami whenever one begins 
to rot I take It out for use, after cult ingout the 
rotten spots; such apples are better to use than 
hard ones, which will keep much longer.” 
-- 
Rabbits )*. Fruit Trees,—A Subscriber at 
Rupidan Station, Vn., writes: “In one of tho 
back numbers of the Rural some of your 
Western subscribers wished Iuknow wlmt would 
prevent rabbits from eating the bark off fruit 
trees iu the winter. II is known here that if the 
trees are rubbed with a piece of fresh meat, so 
as to make the tree bloody and greasy up as high 
as the rabbits can reach, they will not touch 
them whilst in that condition. One or two ap¬ 
plications during the winter will be sufficient," 
- 4-*-M - 
Figs in Southern Illinois.—A correspondent of 
the Rural World, who has grown the common 
yellow tig of the South In Union Co., III., for six 
years, says the trees, unless well protected, kill 
down to the ground every winter, but in the 
spring sprout up again and bear a crop of fruit, 
bill not us abundant a crop as when the tree is 
protected. He does not think they can lie grown 
so far north with profit. They require a loose 
aud exceeding rich soil, and will put out a great 
moss of small fibrous roots. 
--- 
The “Fnrlev” Blackberry (fruit) is described 
as not quite as large as the New Rochelle, but 
earlier in ripening, und are mature ns soon as 
black. A. M. Burns of Kansas, has tested them 
three years,growing them on the north side of a 
hill shaded by trees, where they ripened two or 
three weeks before tho Now Rochelle, which 
faced tho sun. The canes remained uninjured 
during the winter in Kansas, the buds starting 
even from the ends uf the eaues. 
--- 
The “Miner” Plum.—We notice in the re¬ 
ported proceedings of the North III. Hort. Soc. 
that tho name of the plum known as “Miner,” 
was changed to Townsend, it having beeu first 
propagated in. the West by Mr. Townsend of 
Rush, Ill., and it was recommended for general 
cultivation. 
