The Preparation of the Soil 
before planting; and I confess that I do not 
attach as much importance to this as is 
generally done by writers on the subject, I 
have said enough, I think, to show 1 lint I 
consider a highly fertile and well cultivated 
soil essential to success; and 1 certainly 
should not advise any one to think of plant¬ 
ing a pear orchard in ground that was not 
in a good state of tillage, such as would be 
necessary for other garden crops. But I 
consider that much more depends on the 
after treatment than on the original prepa¬ 
ration of the soil. And as to deep subsoil¬ 
ing and trenching 1 have never found any 
advantage in it. Soils that are wet, of 
course, must be drained. 1 have already 
spoken of one prolific cause of failure, to 
I wit—starvation; and I will now proceed to 
notice such others as have occurred to me. 
Of Diseases of tl*8 Pear 
properly so called, I know nothing, having 
had no experience with any, unless the 
premature shedding ol the leaves ol trees, 
otherwise apparently healthy, and 1 he con¬ 
sequent. failure of the fruit to ripen he a dis¬ 
ease. Whatever this may be, or whatever 
its cause, it. is certainly the most serious 
drawback to pear-growing that I have to 
contend with. The mischief from this 
cause varies with the season and with varie¬ 
ties, amounting sometimes to a total failure 
of some sorts, and greater or less injury to 
most others.—[To be continued. 
abundance of vegetable matter, or some 
form of plant food. Fruit trees, I believe, 
require to be fed as much as domestic ani¬ 
mals; everybody knows that. If you would 
have your dairy cows, for instance, to yield 
abundantly, you must supply them with a 
liberal amount of nutritious food; and I be¬ 
lieve this just as necessary for pear trees. I 
have been speaking now of soils ot moderate 
natural fertility, such as the average soils of 
tnia or New Jersey. Of course, 
amount of manuring will not be 
in deep alluvial or otherwise un¬ 
may he that old trees will not do with this 
kind of treatment. All that I can say, at 
present, about it is, that the older they get 
the better they seem to flourish, 
I would not be understood as contending 
will never do well in a sod; on 
under cultivation in the Stateof New Jersey, 
and many thousands of acres ol low swamp 
lands that are of no value for any other 
purpose. 
A lively discussion followed the reading 
of Mr. Paiuiy’b address. Mr. Thomas 
Meehan, editor of The Gardener’s Monthly, 
asked Air Parry why he recommended the 
cultivation of vegetables among his small 
fruits the first Beason after planting. If this 
culture was so very profitable, tbe land 
might be given up entirely to them, unless, 
as he feared, that some auxiliary crop was 
necessary to keep the proprietors in funds. 
Mr. Parry replied that a crop of vegetables 
the first year after planting would usually 
pay for cultivating, and sometimes for the 
entire cost of the plants. 
Mr. II. T. Williams, editor of the Horti¬ 
culturist, deprecated the ilashy reports so 
often sent forth to the people in regard to 
great profits of fruit culture. He had experi¬ 
mented some in this line, and, although 
quite successful—at least no money had been 
lost, in the business—he believed that good 
ordinary farm crops were equally as profit¬ 
able as' fruit. Mr. Parry had given us a 
but not a single 
PENN. FRUIT GROWERS' SOCIETY. 
annul lVlectiug lielil at (tliuiubei'sbiirK 
January IS ami 19. 
that pears 
tbe contrary, 1 have seen many old and 
thrifty pear trees bearing valuable crops of 
fruit, that stood in grass, or In situations 
where they could not be cultivated; but 
these have always been in peculiarly favor¬ 
able situations; often near the farm build¬ 
ings, where the drainage from the barn-yard j necessary 
ary, was one <»i more tiiau usual miurai. 
Clmmbersburg is one of the most beautUul 
villages in the Cumberland Valley, and the 
inhabitants gave the members ot the Society 
a very cordial welcome, thereby showing 
their interest in horticulture as well as an 
appreciation of those who labor to promote 
the welfare and happiness of our people. 
There is, however, a want of progression 
among the farmers of Pennsylvania, as well 
as elsewhere, and they tread too much in 
the tracks made by their forefathers, forget¬ 
ting that the mere accumulation of wealth 
is not progress, and that it will not bring a 
high state of civilization unless applied to 
science and scientific culture of the people. 
Judge Rowe, iu his short but pithy speech 
of welcome to the members of t he Society, 
referred to the indifference to progress of 
some or the people of the surrounding coun- ; 
try, and said that they had been sitting too 
long on the dry bones of their ancestors, 
and consoling themselves with the thought 
that as these dry hones did well iu their day, 
it was useless to make any change. A little 
outside influence was needed to awaken the 
people and influence their minds with pro¬ 
gressive ideas. 
We do not wish to be understood as ac¬ 
cusing our Pennsylvania friends of being 
bellind their neighbors in horticultural and 
agricultural knowledge, for the Rural 
New-Yorker has a large circulation iu the 
State, and particularly iu the Cumberland 
Valley, and this is sufficient proof to us that 
those who read it are possessed of wisdom 
and good taste, but there are at least one 
hundred thousand more in the same region 
of country who ought to subscribe, and they 
are the very persons to whom Judge Rowe 
referred, ns “ git.ting upon the dry bones of 
remarkable list of successes, 
failure, all such being generally ignored in 
horticultural literature. He thought there 
were two sides to this question, although it 
wits not necessary nor desirable that both 
should be made equally prominent. The 
entire morning session was occupied iu dis¬ 
cussing this topic of profits of small fruit cul¬ 
ture. 
Afternoon Settsiou* 
Mr. Parry gave a short address upon 
peach culture, which was followed by a 
paper on “ Budding and Grafting the Grape 
Vine,” by J. S. Houghton of Philadelphia. 
This paper was merely a compilation of ar¬ 
ticles that have appeared in English and 
American horticultural journals. 
Evcuinii S»?snlon. 
Mr. E. Sattkrthwaite of Montgomery 
Co., Pa., read a most interesting and valua¬ 
ble paper on “ Pear Culture,” As this paper 
is from a practical man, who knows whereof 
be speaks, we give the greater pail of it in 
our columns. 
Prof. S. S. Ratiivon of Lancaster, read a 
very interesting paper on “ lusects Injurious 
1<» the Apple,” illustrating his subject with 
specimens of each species referred to. 
Various reports of committees were re¬ 
ceived and accepted, and the fine display of 
apples upon the tables were distributed 
among the audience, and the members bade 
adieu to each other with many wishes of 
the year of 
aibctur 
Garden of Bordeaux. In two regular rows, 
on simple or branching recemes, from six to 
eight inches in length, are borne from t wenty 
to forty smooth, round, scarlet fruit, about 
the size of our largest currants. The foliage 
is much more finely cut than in the ordinary 
varieties, and the stems arc slender and sub¬ 
climbing. 1 grew a plant last season, beside 
a rough wall, and its numerous branching 
stems attained a bight of six or eight feet, 
completely covering the wall, l’or sonic ex¬ 
tent., with its delicate spray, profusely inter¬ 
spersed with long, drooping clusters of scar¬ 
let berries. Indeed, as an object of adorn¬ 
ment, it might fill the place of an ornamental 
climber with good effect,attracting attention 
by the beauty and novelty of its fruit. It 
may be used with satisfaction to drape rock- 
work, rustic trellises, etc., requiring scarcely 
better support than wo must give the tall 
nasturtiums. 
But for purposes of utility, it is hardly sur- 
nnsxed bv anv other kind. Its fruit lacks 
prosperity and happiness during 
1871. 
— -♦♦♦- 
PEARS AND PEAR CULTURE: 
lissay Rend Before tin? I'emisylvnnla Fruit 
Orowers’ fsocirty, Jan. 19 . 
BY E. SATTF.UTHWAITE. 
Fruit growing, in common with every 
utber branch of Horticulture, does not be¬ 
long to the exact sciences. We cannot, as 
we may with many other branches ot knowl¬ 
edge, proceed stop by step, to add to our 
stock of information, and, by reasoning from 
ascertained facts, arrive at certain and infal¬ 
lible conclusions. Here, on the contrary, 
all is vague and uncertain. Not only are 
of the time allotted to the hrsl session oi me 
Society. 
MuGOUtl Bay’s Procccdlnas. 
The morning session was opened by an 
address from W.m. Parry of New Jersey, on 
the “Profits of Small Fruits.” We were 
agreeably surprised at the moderate estimate 
which the gentleman placed upon the profits 
derived from certain species and varieties, 
for heretofore he has usually been one of the 
most conspicuous in claiming immense re¬ 
turns from pet sorts, of which he had plants 
for sale. He said that he had grown over 
two hundred bushels per acre of the Wilson 
strawberry; but at present, the three most 
profitable sorts with him, were the Charles 
Downing,Downer’s Prolific, and Kentucky; 
the next best, were Green Prolific, Agricul¬ 
turist and Bovden’s No. 30. Fruil of this 
last sort, he sold for $1 per quart the past 
season. Early spring was recommended as 
the best time for planting. In preparing to 
ship fruit to market, at least three times as 
many crates and baskets must be provided 
as would be required for any one picking. 
Several practical fruit growers present, 
thought this a far too low estimate, and at 
next Page.) 
X?KISrr)TJ LT7 w.-(Sef 
L's in usually fertile soils, 
out The question is I 
sand a stiff clay soil, or 
ad it suitable for pears. 
>f an questions, but am 
they that almost any soil thnt is not too wet will 
such do, if made sufficiently fert ile by manuring, 
good 1 have seen it frequently recommended to 
ret to seed down an orchard with clover, and prob- 
, was ably this might do well, if nothing but clover 
would grow; but as every one who has tried 
who the experiment knows, clover will only live 
a vear or two, and then, it the soil is good 
enough to grow pears, a dense sod of other 
grasses will succeed it; and I know of no 
way to keep an orchard in clover, but to 
plow and rc-sow at least every other yeai. 
This practice, 1 apprehend, would be liable 
to till the objections which are urged against 
constant tillage, 
jug among the most intelligent ousei veis 
to matters of every-day occurrence. Ac¬ 
cordingly, I find, on taking a survey of the 
field, an immense mass of cursory observa¬ 
tions and conflicting theories, a vast amount 
of which has the tendency to only confuse 
and discourage the honest inquirer after 
truth. To attempt to reconcile these con¬ 
flicting theories, to bring order out of chaos, 
to sift the few grains of wheat from the 
many bushels of chaff, would be a Herculean 
task which I shall not attempt, but confine 
myself to noting such facts and observations 
as have occurred to me, which would seem 
to be practically useful. 
In regard to the kind of soil and cultiva¬ 
tion most suitable for pears, I have only to 
say that the results of my observation and 
experience are all favorable to “ high cul¬ 
ture.” 1 mean by that, bountiful manuring 
and constant tilling of the soil. Iu this, as 
in every other branch ot productive indus¬ 
try, 1 know of no royal road to success. 
Down on Gran Pcnr Culnivists. 
Hence, I have no consolation to offer to 
those who expect to grow good crops of 
pears in a grass sod. But 1 do not propose 
tn arc tie this Question ; it is one that has 
CABBAGES FOR MARKET. 
A. C. Huffman of Roanoke, lnd.,asksus 
to name the best and most profitable cab¬ 
bage for fall marketing. The question is a 
difficult one to answer, inasmuch as there 
are several excellent late varieties. Hen¬ 
derson gives the Bcrsren Drumhead the 
i uni, wane uuebouy 
Marblehead Mammoth as the 
orchard always in grass; and when 1 con¬ 
sider what an easy and common thing it is 
to slide into the practice of allowing an 
orchard to become a sod for lack of cultiva¬ 
tion, I confess I am not astonished at finding 
advocates Ibr the practice. But if it was not 
for the fear of being thought too personal, I 
should be tempted to say that, iu many of 
these cases “ the wish was father to the 
thought.” However, as I have said, success 
alone must be the test in this question, and 
when those who practice upon the grass 
theory show that they can raise the fiuest 
and best crops of fruit, then 1 also will “ go 
in ” for grass. For of one tiling I am posi¬ 
tively certain—that the eternal laws of the 
Creator will not change, not even to suit the 
theories of the most wise and astute, and no 
matter how stubbornly they may be insist¬ 
ed on. 
A word more in regard to 
Manuring* 
The pear is unquestionably one of tbe 
most hardy, as it is the longest lived of all 
fruit trees; hut it is unreasonable to expect 
thut a tree standing for generations in one 
spot, can continue to draw from tbe same 
soil, year after year, the ingredients requi¬ 
site for a large crop of such high-flavored 
and delicious fruit as a linewariety of pear, 
unless the Boil happens to be of inexhausti¬ 
ble fertility, or lias its supply of plant, food 
in some way frequently renewed. It is easy 
to imagine a tree, (like a piue, lor instance,) 
that produces no edible fruit, to thrive and 
continue to grow for centuries in a soil -ai¬ 
des tit me of fertility; but food-pro- 
pre fere nee for New 
names tbe 
most profitable for the Boston market. In 
addition to the above the Flat Dutch, Stone 
Mason, Drumhead Savoy and Red Dutch 
are all excellent late varieties. 
If we had no personal acquaintance with 
the market to which the cabbages are to be 
sent, we should venture to try one or both 
of the sorts first named. It is always a good 
plan, however, to raise a few of the Red 
Dutch, as this variety fe usually in demand 
to a limited extent for pickling; and there 
are a few persons who think there is no other 
cabbage as good for boiling as the Savoy; 
therefore a portion of the crop may be of 
this sort to accommodate those who prefer 
it to other varieties. It requires a slight 
acquaintance with the market in which any 
particular kind of vegetable is to be sold; 
then the grower can make a selection ol va¬ 
rieties to suit. 
-- *-*-+■ - 
Vegetables for Seed. 
Considerable care is necessary to keep 
vegetables that, are wanted for producing 
seed, through winter. Beets, turnips, cab¬ 
bages and carrots wanted for this purpose, 
must not he allowed to be frozen ; neither is 
it safe to keep them in a warm place, wiiete 
the stems and leaves will push into growth. 
A cool and dry cellar is the best position 1< i 
such plants, although, if sufficient care is 
tiu. oil is ilrv. thev may be bui- 
Mulching 
is also frequently recommended, but I have 
never known it tried to any extent, and I 
suppose simply for the reason that it is too 
expensive. There is one advantage that I 
must claim for the system of culture which 
I practice, that has great weight with me, 
and must be an important consideration 
wherever ground is very valuable ; and that 
is, I get huge and valuable crops ot other 
products from my pear orchards—almost 
the same, in fact, as if there were no pear 
trees; the space in the rows between the I 
trees being filled with currauts, gooseberries, 
raspberries, rhubarb, &c., and the rest ot the 
ground planted with other small fruits and 
vegetables. And it is a remarkable fact 
that pear trees do not seem to injure other 
crops growing near them, as apple, cherij 
and other fruit trees do. Some of my pear 
trees are now five or six inches in diameter 
and twenty feet high, and yet I cannot per¬ 
ceive that they injure anything growing 
near them. In fact,, I am convinced 
that the protection afforded by rows of pear 
trees at intervals through the vegetable 
grounds is a decided advantage to many 
things, and as my trees get no manure and 
no labor in cultivation, except wbat is ap¬ 
plied to tbe other crops, the pears would 
seem to be almost clear gain. I find I have 
forgotten to say anything about 
most 
duciug plants require a soil containing an 
