large, in a shallow, broad basin; flesh, green¬ 
ish while, sprightly subacid ; good ; season, 
November to January. Tree a strong and 
vigorous grower, assuming a regular pyra¬ 
midal form. 
French Pippin. 
Probably the same apple described in 
Dow Nino, under this name, apparently a 
good late keeper, although Downing gives 
the season from October to January. The 
specimen received would probably keep un¬ 
til March. -Mr. Lester says the tree is a 
great diversity of opinion among grape 
growers in regard to the best attempts here¬ 
tofore made in classifying our native species 
and varieties of grapes, and we should have 
been pleased to have had Mr. Saunders 
given us his views on the subject. In the 
article referred to, be. says:—“ The Vitis 
cordifolia is a species possessing great hardi¬ 
hood, and adaptability to grow and fruit well 
under almost any condition of climate or 
locality, producing fruit of much value for 
wine as well as for the use of the table.’ 
good order. The almost universal success of 
these varieties, tends to glut every market; 
but where this has not already occurred, 
growers find them the most profitable rasp¬ 
berry to grow. There are many choice sorts, 
and a man can hardly select amiss; but we 
would give the preference to the following, 
which ripen in the order named :—Davison’s 
Thornless, Doolitt le, Seneca and McCormick. 
There are also some choice “ Yellow Caps,” 
but their value for market has not as yet 
been determined. 
FRUITS RECEIVED, 
BY K. R. EELIOTT. 
UouwwHI Apple. 
(From Ellwanger A Barry.) I never 
meet this apple upon a man’s table, or in his 
orchard, without expressing my gratification 
at his good sense and taste in procuring or 
growing a fruit of uniform excellence. With¬ 
out the delicacy of the Belmont,' or the 
sprightliness of the Jonathan, it has a rich, 
aromatic character that makes it always 
rank, pomologjcally, as very good. The 
tree, so far as record reports, has been a 
success in growth, hardihood,-and hearing 
qualities. Downing gives a good descrip¬ 
tion of tliis variety, and, as it is valuable, I 
send you an illustration, to bring it more 
prominently to the notice of your readers. 
AppIrH from Hiunt-mmi. 
Of varieties sent me some time since l)y 
O. F. Brand, Faribault, Minn., I have kept 
a few specimens, and now write that his No. 
7, given him for a seedling, is Ben Davis. 
His Newtown Pippin lean make nothing 
of. It lias no form or taste of Newtown 
Pippin. No. 39, sent as a seedling, may be 
so, but is not worth cultivating. 
A (jwiift Quince. 
T. B. Jenkins, Ck&mbersburg, Pa., sends 
me specimens of the quince, of which the 
flesh is almost sweet and nearly void of 
ustiingeney. It is new to me, and for the 
purpose of sauce of the quince alone, must 
be of value, and perhaps prove superior to 
t he Japan or Sand pears for such use. Bui 
for the purpose of flavoring (lie apple, for 
which the quince is often used, I doubt its 
value as compared with the orange or apple- 
shaped variety. 
Mr. Jenkins writes “ that the variety was 
raised from seed some forty years since, and 
has been bearing regularly ever since. Tiie 
tree is a good grower ami abundant bearer.” 
Description.—Fruit of medium size, ob¬ 
late, somewhat ribbed ; color much like 
Hie Apple-Shaped, but when the bloom is 
rubbed oil’ it is not as bright. The stem is 
set in a broad, dull brown, rough, knob-like 
projection, while the calyx lias large, long 
segments set in a deep basin; the flesh is 
deep yellow, coarse-grained, not very juicy, 
a little tough, and of a mild subacid char¬ 
acter. 
T.UES COGSWELL -A-PPJLTC AJNTD OUTLINE 
remarkably line grower, with broad deep 
green foliage. A profitable market apple. 
Hancock, 
also described by Downing. It is a large 
and handsome apple, and extremely solid. 
The flesh is rather coarse, but of pleasant 
flavor. 
Jackson. 
Origin, Bucks county., Pa. Described by 
Downing, and Mr. Lester adds that it is 
not very productive, and cannot be relied 
upon, although of a most excellent quality. 
Season, November to March. 
Stackyard. 
A beautiful apple of medium size and ex¬ 
cellent quality. Briefly described by Down¬ 
ing. Air. Lester states that it is highly 
prized for both cooking and dessert, and is 
in condition for use from September to 
March, 'l’hc tree is a vigorous grower, and 
very productive. 
Apple* fu Tennessee. 
The above-named correspondent writes: 
“The apples best ndupved for cultivation 
here are the following varieties:—May, Early 
Harvest, Red Astrakhan, Horse Apple, Sum¬ 
mer Queen, Lady Finger, Golden Sweet, 
Keswick Cochin, Twenty Ounce, ‘KeuunVs 
Choice,’ [What apple is that,?—Eds. Rural 
New-Yorker.] Rawlo’s Janet, Wiuesap, 
‘ Seek-no-further, [Rainbo, or wiiat?—Eds. 
Rural New-Yorker,] Chronical, Green’s 
Choice, Kentucky, Smokehouse, Rome Beau¬ 
ty, Ben Davis, Smith’s Cider. Some others 
could be added. I have seen good speci¬ 
mens of Baldwin, Wagner, Tompkins Co. 
King ud Northern Spy, hut could not re¬ 
commend them for general cultivation.” 
From the above, our Kansas correspondent 
will see that our advice is not of thcjiositive 
kind, and for the very reason that we have 
had some failures with raspberries, even after 
many years of experience; and it would he 
the bight of folly for us to say that this or 
that sort was the very best for any locality, 
until the fact had been fully determined by 
actual trial. 
This may be true, but the information 
would have been fur more satisfactory if 
some one or more of the varieties belonging 
to the species had been named. The Vitis 
Labrurca and wtivalis are also mentioned in 
the same obscure manner, none of our cul¬ 
tivated varieties being assigned to either, al¬ 
though Mr. Saunders says that choice soi ls 
belong to both, and we presume he possesses 
the information which prompted him to 
make such an assertion, hut he fails to give 
it. This is certainly to he regretted, as many 
of our viueyards arc in the dark on this 
point, and do not know where to place the 
Clinton, Taylor, Eumi'lan,aud some similar 
varieties We hope Air. Saunders will take 
an early opportunity of telling us just what 
he might have told in the articles referred to 
above, but did not, for some reason, test them 
himself. 
FRUITS IN NEVADA, 
Trios. V. Brown, Camp Halleck, Nevada, 
is desirous of obtaining information in regard 
to the possibility, as well as probability of 
certain kinds of fruits succeeding in the above 
named locality. Our first thought, upon 
muling his letter, prompted us to say, “ You 
nrojust the man lullod out;” but a second con¬ 
sideration of his questions led us to believe 
tliat he, like many thousand Other men hav¬ 
ing had no experience in horticulture, could 
not he* expected to know, or even guess at, 
the adaptation of plants to climate or soil. 
Tim facts given by Mr. Brown, in regard 
to climate, will be of considerable value to 
those who may contemplate settling in Ne¬ 
vada, and we give the following extracts 
from his letter, for the benefit of those whom 
it may concern ; also his questions and our 
answers: 
July 3d, 1868— Water froze in open air last, 
hi«iit; llth, frost last night—potato, squash and 
cucumber vines killed. August 17th, 30th, 31st, 
frost each night- 
This certainly does not present a very encour¬ 
aging record to farmers, yet last year and ilils 
year, both, largo crops of lino, mealy potatoes 
(Nesluuinock appears best, suited) have boon ob¬ 
tained; also pumpkins, cabbage, onions. Now, 
will some humane member of 
your intelligent, staff, be good 
enough to answer the following 
questions: 
“Will fruit trees thrive here?” 
[Grab apples, plums and Morello /w '' / / 
cherries may thrive.) Iff / / ■ 
“Will strawberries thrive?" [./ (./ / 7. 
[Yes, the small native Boris.) //// j'{ j // 
“ Will blackberries ? 
doubtful; perhaps they 
by giving protection.) 
“Will raspberries V 
WHAT RASPBERRY TO PLANT. 
A correspondent at Pleasanton, Linn 
Co., Kansas, asks “ Whftl raspberry i.s best 
for market use. I wish to ship to Kansas 
City, Alo., seventy-five miles, and to Fort 
Scott, Kansas, twenty-live miles.” 
There are various circumstances to be 
taken into consideration when selecting any 
variety of fruit either for market or home 
use. The first and most important of these, 
is what sorts arc best adapted to the soil and 
climate; and this can only be fully ascer¬ 
tained by experiment, although we may 
judge very closely from the results obtained 
iu wilier similar localities. The raspberries 
that bring the very highest price in our 
Eastern cities are Red Antwerp, Franconia 
and Kncveti’s Giant; and these are very 
firm sorts, that bear transportation well, but 
they do not succeed in all soils or localities, 
consequently they arc not to he recommend¬ 
ed for general cultivation. The plants are 
also rather tender, and require protection in 
winter, which, by some cultivators, is con¬ 
sidered a great fault, hilt not by those who 
understand how to manage them, and with 
whom they succeed. 
It is quite likely that none of the choice 
large sorts, and best, sorts of the foreign spe¬ 
cies of raspberries, will succeed in Kansas; 
but we should certainly try them, if in our 
correspondent’s place, before fully deciding 
against this class of berries. If none of 
these can he profitably grown, the next best 
among the red raspberries to be taken into 
consideration are our native sorts. 
Tin- Fhiltulclpliin 
has acquired a great reputation on account 
of the hardy character of the plant, as well 
as its great productiveness. It, is certainly 
a valuable sort. The fruit is only of medium 
size, a dark, dull red, and not very firm, 
although if picked before it is too ripe, it 
may be shipped fifty or one hundred miles 
and arrive in good condition. 
The norland, Suk.jiicco, Imperial, 
and several other similar varieties, are hardy, 
prolific, and the fruit firm and of excellent 
calm-ami flavor, but the plants produce an 
enormous number of suckers, and unless 
these are constantly removed, a plantation 
will soon run out and become almost barren. 
Success in growing these sorts depends 
entirely upon proper management; and for 
that, matter, the same is true with all varie¬ 
ties and species. The most easily managed 
of all the raspherris, are 
Tli«* BIack>Cnps. 
And ns the fruit is dry and firm, it can be 
shipped almost any distance and arrive in 
VINEYARD TALK 
Priming Vines in Cold Weather. 
Pruning vines while they are frozen is 
said to be very injurious. Wc arc not,aware, 
however, that any of our vineyanlists have 
ever conducted a series of experiments to 
prove the truth or falsity of this very com¬ 
mon, and often reiterated assertion. If the 
young or old canes are handled and bent 
while frozen, it would, no doubt, break some 
of the cells and injure them; hut inordina¬ 
ry pruning, that portion of the vine allowed 
to remain need not be in the least disturbed ; 
for all tying up to slakes or trellises can he 
done in pleasant weather when there is no 
frost in the vines. 
In pruning a cane we cut between the 
buds; and all that portion above the last bud 
left on the cane will die whether the separa¬ 
tion is made with a knife, shears, or when 
frozen or otherwise. Pruning vines in very 
cold weather is certainly not pleasant work; 
hut so far as being injurious, either to the 
vine, or the cuttings removed, we have our 
double, which are strengthened by the fact 
that thousands of vines are annually pruned 
while frozen without any apparent injury 
resulting therefrom. 
I Yob, the r'V. fUfjl 
native reds and blacks, if the cli- V ml 11 It 11 j 
mate Is not too dry.) VVr»W\'-\\\ 
" Will gooseberries ?” [Proba- Vvu\ V\v\ 
bly, the unlive varieties. ] \vtWv vi\ 
“Will grapes?" [Very doubt- v\VVv\vv 
fnl; but wm-tli trying.) 
“ What kind of grapes?" [Cliu- 
ton, Concord, Delaware.) 
“ When should these fruit trees, >«. 
small fruit trees, ami vines be 
planted?” [Burly in spring.) 
" Would they need protection 
during winter?” [Yes.] 
“ Any oilier information on the 
subject would bo gratefully re¬ 
ceived." [Our advice would be, to send to some 
nurseryman and procure a few plants each of 
Hie most, hardy sorts, ami give them a fair trial, 
before planting largely of any species or variety.) 
MR. UNDERHILL’S SYSTEM, 
I have read with a great deal of interest, 
the articles of Mr, Edwin M. Underhill, 
“ on the treatment, of I lie vino,” as published 
in the Rural New-Yorker during the 
month of October last, and have been very 
favorably impressed with the manner of 
training and priming which he there recom¬ 
mends. But there are some questions con¬ 
nected with the subject, that 1 would like to 
have answered, 
1. Will not the system of pruning in spring 
and early summer, as recommended by Air. 
Underhill, and practiced by Mr. Bying- 
ton, cause tbe v ine to bleed badly, ami to an 
injurious extent? Or does Mr. ByiRgton 
make.some application to prevent Such bleed¬ 
ing? Or lias it become a recognized fact 
that such bleeding does not materially in¬ 
jure the vine? If so, why should wc always 
prune our vines in the fall, ur before the sap 
rises, as most writers tell us. except it lie for 
the time and convenience of the vinedresser? 
2- AVill not the plan of pruning the vine 
to such long canes (six feet) as recommended 
by Air. Underhill, be met with the same 
objections that Air. Clement I Toake found to 
his renewal plan, viz., by the predominance of 
strength and development of the upper buds, 
to remedy which, he recommended growing 
the cones in a serpenlme form ? 
Now, if some of your valued correspond¬ 
ents will help us over these “mountains of 
difficulty,” they will greatly oblige 
Crawfordsville, Ind. H. M. it. 
PENNSYLVANIA SWEET QUINCE. 
Fears in Tennessee. 
J. I. N. writes us from Nashville, Tenn., 
that the people of ihat State are wide-awake 
about fruit planting, and says that at the 
State Fair he “ saw the best specimens of 
pears ho ever saw in any country, of the 
following varieties ;—Bartlett, Louise Bonne 
do Jersey, Duchess d’Angoulemc, Rcckel, 
Beurre d’Anjou, White Doyenne, Easter 
Beurre, Beurre Did, Sheldon, Yicar of 
Winkfield, Flemish Beauty, Belle Lucrative 
and English* Pound—all very large speci¬ 
mens. Dwarfs seem to flourish admirably 
here. Soil, yellow clay loam.” 
Our correspondent does not tell us in whnt 
parts of the State the pears named were 
grown. 
Nntivc Gi-upen—<|ni;rr. 
A[r. Wm. Saunders of the Department 
of Agriculture at Washington, sends some 
notes on (lie native species of grapes to Til¬ 
ton’s Journal of Horticulture, which we fail 
to understand, or draw therefrom any prac¬ 
tical information. There is, certainly, a 
POMOLOGICAL GOSSIP. 
Through the kindness of Air. Chart.es 
Downing we arc in receipt of several choice 
varieties of apples, forwarded by John C. 
Lester, Quakurjown. Pa. These apples 
have a good local reputation, but arc little 
known outside of Pennsylvania and New 
Jersey, at least not by tbc names under which 
they are cultivated in the localities from 
whence the present specimens were received. 
Wc append the following notes which are in 
part furnished by Air. Lester. 
Cl'OIIKC. 
Origin unknown but supposed to be a 
seedling. Medium, about two and a half 
inches broad by two long, slightly flattened; 
pale greenish yellow, striped and splashed 
with red ; stalk short, slender, inserted in a 
deep, and regular formed cavity; calyx 
GRAPE TESTS AT NEWBURGH. 
I was present at the recent test, of grapes, 
held at the city <>t Newburgh, N Y., Octo¬ 
ber 37th, 1870, and witnessed the operations 
of the Committee appointed by the New* 
burgh Bay Horlicultnral Society for that 
purpose, with great interest. The meeting 
was a public one, exciting much attention in 
the city, and was attended by a considerable 
number of spectators. Every thing was man¬ 
aged in the most careful and impartial man¬ 
ner. Regret was expressed that the contri¬ 
butions were not more numerous; but as this, 
was the first, attempt, the Society has no rea¬ 
son to he dissatisfied with the result. Tbe 
contributions of grapes were all from the 
Valley of the Hudson, except one,, the 
“ Janesville.” This grape, a stranger in this 
vicinity, was forwarded to the Committee by 
Air. Green man of Janesville, Wisconsin, and 
is represented to be exceedingly hardy and 
very early, succeeding well where others of 
the hardy varieties have entirely failed. It 
is also claimed to possess considerable merit, 
both as a wine and table grape. 
A new grape, the “Raritan,” contributed 
i by James H. Ricketts of Newburgh, at¬ 
tracted much attention, and the result.of the 
lest in its case was watched with more than 
ordinary interest. The trial proved that this 
grape combines rare qualities, both of sugar 
amt acid; and if anything can be inferred 
from such tests as this, it should produce a 
valuable wine. Air. R, has good reason to be 
satisfied with the result. 
From observation, I am convinced that 
those interested in such matters, can do no 
hotter than submit their grapes to the Com¬ 
mittee of the Newburgh Horticultural Socie¬ 
ty, if they desire an accurate and impartial 
test of the qualities of the same. 
Spectator. 
In this conned ion we publish the report 
of the testing committee recently received: 
To the Newburgh ling Horticultural Society:— 
The Commit too unpointed hy t he Society to test 
the must of the different varieties of grapes that 
might be suimttod to them for tlml purpose, re¬ 
port:—That they met, as advertised, on the 27th 
day of October, 1870, iu the city ol Newburgh, 
and proceeded to express the muatof thoeeveral 
varieties of grapes received by tlieijt for that 
purpose, and to test the same. The instruments 
used were Oechslk's Must ScaleSiiochurometer, 
and Twicii ell's Aeidomotcr. When different 
lots of the same variety of grapes were tested 
tbo highest figures registered are given. The 
following results were obtained : 
Sacehu- Aclilnme- 
rometer. ter. 
White Hungarian Seedling. 7ir LOOO-lOO.OOO 
Isa be I in. 79" 460-100,000 
Black Zciiflndol (grown under glass. 78" 20(1-100,000 
Janesville. SI" 885-100,000 
Norton's Virginia. K7* 1,201.11(0,000 
Diauii . *h 
Catawba. So* 600-100,000 
Putnam. ‘JO* 000.100,000 
Clinton. 5)5* 1,025-100,000 
Ilerbemont. 9S '.io-loo.OOO 
Iona.100X* 1126-100,000 
Maxatnwney.102 200-100,000 
Raritan.nr txj-wo.oOO 
John Forsyth, Chiiiiiuuii. 
Dated Nov. 3d, 1870. 
(The H»t turn list. 
A SOUTHERN “GOPHER.” 
“ A Farmer’s Son’s ” description of a 
Gopher, in a late number of the Rural 
New-Yorker, is so m</ funny to us South 
Alabamians! The funny point is, that he 
gives a splendid description of a Salamander , 
and calls it a Gopher! Now, to us with 
whom the Salamander and the Gopher are 
almost as numerous ns the squirrel and the 
rabbit, the “Farmer's Son's" description of 
the gopher sounds very queer. It is so cor¬ 
rect that any ten-year-old boy in South Ala¬ 
bama, will know at once that it is the Sala¬ 
mander that he calls a “ Gopher,” 
The “Gopher” is a species of the High¬ 
land Tortoise. It resembles the loggerhead 
turtle very much. lu some parts of Florida it 
is served up as turtle, and is said to be equal¬ 
ly as good. They are rounder than the 
turtle, brighter in color, have smaller head, 
and the squares of the shell are smaller. A 
full-grown Gopher will weigh ten pounds, 
and will crawl with a medium-sized man 
on his back. They feed on grass ami weeds, 
and burrow in the ground, in a slanting 
hole, eight or ton feet deep. The best way 
to catch them is to dig a bole at the mouth 
of their hole, about two feet deep and a foot 
square; put some small switches across it, 
and cover with leaves. He will fall into 
this hole and cannot get. out. Alabama. 
Rockville, Ala., Sept,, 1870. 
- 4 -*-*- 
DO SNAKES HISS? 
If your correspondent, “ Water Snake,” 
who would travel so far to see a snake that 
hisses, will come out to Plainfield, N. J., 
some warm day, I will endeavor to convince 
him that hissing is not confined to “geese.” 
A few weeks since, while walking, I discov¬ 
ered a full-sized odder in my path. Wish¬ 
ing to observe his peculiarities, l procured a 
stick and approached within four feet of 
him. lie flattened half his body about 
three inches wide, then elevated his head, 
darting out his tongue, and hissing distinctly 
and repeatedly, moved slowly off, when I 
dispatched him. L. J. Denton. 
