THE CULTIVATOR. 
57 
ly. It is a great bearer, and is esteemed in Bloomfield, 
one of the best table apples they have for fall and winter 
use; to our taste it is a first rate fruit, and eminently 
worthy of cultivation. It is eommoniy called the “ Me¬ 
lon Apple,” from its excessive juiciness; we have added 
“ Norton’s” to designate it more particularly, having re¬ 
ceived it from a gentleman of that name. It is about 
medium size. Form inclining to conical, slightly 
ribbed. Stem■ one-half to three-quarters of an inch in 
length in a pretty deep hollow. Calyx usually closed 
and set in a smooth regular basin of considerable depth. 
Skin smooth and glossy, and exceedingly thin, of a light 
red color, with stripes and blotches of crimson next the 
sun, and of a pale delicate flesh color in the shade. 
Flesh white as snow, tender, breaking, fine flavored and 
sprightly; juice very abundant, as much so as in a luscious 
peach. In use from November to April. 
No. 3. Detroit Apple— (Black Apple .)—This fruit is 
partially known and cultivated in several sections of the 
country; we do not recollect having seen a description 
of it particularly, or any account of its origin. It is sup¬ 
posed by some to have been introduced to the neighbor¬ 
hood of Detroit by the French, and thence distributed to 
other places. We have had many inquiries made recent¬ 
ly, respecting it, anil are therfore induced to give the 
following description from samples now before us, gi’own 
here. 
Fruit rather above medium size, three to three and a 
half inches in diameter. Form round, very regular and 
flattened. Stalk three-quarters of an inch long in a deep 
cavity. Calyx closed, and set in a hollow of moderate 
depth, and considerably wrinkled. Skin rather thick, 
smooth and shining, of bright scarlet, changing to dark 
purple, marbled and dotted with yellow in the sun—dull 
red, with an occasional blotch of green in the shade. 
Flesh white, crisp, very juicy, agreeable flavor and per¬ 
fume; those that are exposed to the full glareof the sun, 
are tinged inside with red almost to the core. This ap¬ 
ple is highly prized with us. It is as yet, however, very 
scarce, and seldom seen in market. But we have reason 
to believe it will soon be widely disseminated as it de¬ 
serves to be. It is in use from Nov. till March. There 
is an apple cultivated in this vicinity called the “ Jersey 
Blue,” very much resembling the “ Detroit;” and we re¬ 
collect having seen one quite similar, exhibited by the 
Messrs. Downing in 1842, at Albany, called “ Grand Sa¬ 
chem.” 
No. 4. Blush Apple. —This apple we recently found 
in Ontario county, where it is held in the highest esti¬ 
mation. We can say nothing with regard to its origin. 
It is not known by any one we have seen, how it came 
into the neighborhood; at any rate, it is but very little 
known or cultivated, and is certainly of superior excel¬ 
lence. It is of large size, and when fully ripe, resem¬ 
bling considerably in form and appearance, the “ Sweet 
Bough.” Stem very thick, fleshy and short, set in a 
somewhat irregular cavity of moderate depth. Calyx 
quite open, in a smooth regular basin of considerable 
depth. Skin smooth and glossy, of a beautiful blush in 
the sunny side; green, changing to yellow, when ripe in 
the shade. Flesh greenish white, tender, breaking, jui 
cy and pleasantly acid. Fit for use from October till 
March. 
No. 5. Wax Apple.— This apple is cultivated by Judge 
Strong of Rochester. He does not know where it came 
from ; and his family, who prize it very highly as a des¬ 
sert fruit, on account of its fine keeping qualities and 
beauty, have given it the name of “ Wax Apple,” from 
its clear, delicate, waxlike appearance. Size medium. 
Form oblong. Stalk one-half to three-quarters of an inch 
long, inserted in a minute hollow, nearly even with the 
surface of the fruit. Calyx closed, quite prominent, even 
with the surface. Skin smooth and glossy, bright red, 
with small yellow dots, on the sunny side; parting ab¬ 
ruptly from a pale yellow on the shaded side, similar to 
the Lady Apple. Flesh white, juicy, and of agreeable 
flavor; keeps till June; retains its beauty and flavor ad¬ 
mirably. 
King Apple. —One of your correspondents inquires 
where grafts of this apple can be obtained; we would 
state for his information, that they can be had in Roches¬ 
ter; we have a large number of the trees in our nursery, 
propagated from fine bearing trees of Wm. Pitkin, Esq., 
who cultivates this fruit extensively. He thinks it unsur¬ 
passed. He sent all his crop of the past year to New- 
York city, we believe- It is thus described in the “ New 
Genesee Farmer,” vol. 3, page 57. “ Fruit large or 
middle sized, roundish or conical, inclining to flat,. Eye 
small, closed in a narrow, shallow basin. Stalk an inch 
long, set rather deep, in a wide cavity. Skin a light yel¬ 
low on the shaded side, streaked or blotched with red 
next the sun, and where much exposed, passing into a 
full red, sparsely marked with brown dots near the stalk, 
but more thickly dotted near the eye. Fleih whitish 
yellow, sub-acid, but more sweet than tart; of a fine fla¬ 
vor.” 
Mount Hope Garden and Nursery , Rochester, Dec. 1844. 
MANAGEMENT OF BREEDING EWES AND LAMBS. 
Mr. Tucker— Your private request that I should give 
you my experience in the management of breeding ewes, 
has been some time delayed. A full account would re¬ 
quire too long a chapter for your paper. The accompa¬ 
nying notes are hastily and briefly given. 
The nature and combinations of the various points and 
parts of the ram, should of course be well considered, 
and impressed on the mind of the breeder, in order that 
he may always rear and preserve those animals to the 
greatest advantage, paying the strictest attention to build 
and constitution, and to the preservation of the quantity 
and quality of the fleece. 
It is very hard to find and retain all of the following 
qualities in one ram, or a stock of sheep, viz: Round 
build, wide chest, large belly, round and full behind, 
wide tail near the body, large but short legs, long bod}”, 
short back, large but short neck; wool fine, very thick, 
and very long and oily; wool thick on the belly; the in¬ 
ner part of the legs mostly covered, and run quite even 
from the shoulder to the ham, free from jarr or long 
coarse hairs, of good length and thickness on the outer 
part of the fore and hind legs down to the knees and gam¬ 
brel joints; short head, but wide between the eyes, 
which should be full and bright. In my judgment, a 
stock getter of this description is worth his weight in sil¬ 
ver to any breeder that keeps one hundred ewes. 
There is a great difference in the disposition of the 
merino race. Some of them are naturally more tame and 
docile than others. It is quite important to obtain a 
stock getter of a gentle and quiet disposition. An impro¬ 
ved disposition indicates an aptitude to convert their food 
into flesh or fat. A good disposition is very meritorious 
in the breeding of ewes as well as wethers; those most 
gentle are in the best state at lambing time. There are 
several circumstances which are supposed to form or con¬ 
tribute to this goodness of disposition in these animals. 
They must be well bred, or come from such as have good 
properties; breeding in-and-in, or in the same line, 
greatly contributes to form disposition. Ewes should be 
carefully selected before put to breeding. Choose such 
as are the most perfect, and that possess in the highest 
degree those properties or qualities which are wanted. 
If the ewes produce wool of a short staple, breed from a 
buck of a different character. A judicious selection as 
regards build, should also be attended to at the time they 
are turned to the ram, if it has not been done before. 
Ewes of good age, and the best milkers, should be se¬ 
lected first for the ram, leaving the younger ones to be 
placed with him about ten days later. Sixty ewes are 
enough for a young ram, and 150 to 200 may be put to 
an older one. It is best to throw out the ewes as fast as 
they are tupped. The ram should be grained some time 
previous and during service. Early lambing is mostly 
advantageous where the circumstances of the farm will ad¬ 
mit of it. In Vermont, the month of May is considered 
the best month for the lambs to drop. Ew r es should have 
the wool well clipped away from the udders previous to 
the dropping of the lambs, and they will rear their lambs 
better to shear them as early in June as practicable, ac¬ 
cording to the weather. It has a tendency to dry up the 
milk, carrying their fleeces into the hot days. Ewes 
should not be allowed to range in long pastures while the 
