THE CULTIVATOR. 
Apri 
Fruit on “Black Swamp” Land. 
Mr. Tucker —"Will you or some of your correspon¬ 
dents inform me what varieties of the different kinds 
of fruit are best adapted to what we in Ohio term 
black swamp land ? or such as the black swamp and 
land bordering on it, in the north part of the state 7 
which perhaps is not excelled in fertility by any land 
in Ohio or America. Horticultural writers say that 
one variety will suit one kind of soil, and another an¬ 
other kind. Now I wish to know what varieties are 
best adapted to the sort of soil I have mentioned, and 
what would be the most profitable to raise on such a 
soil, for the New-York market! 
The land I have purchased is sufficiently dry for 
cultivation. James Jenkins. Port Clinton, Ohio. 
As we are not furnished with a distinct statement of 
the chief or larger constituents of the soil in question, 
we cannot give any hints that will be of much value. 
If the soil abounds largely in vegetable mold, and pos¬ 
sesses a high character for fertility, we could, recom¬ 
mend only the most productive and moderate growing 
varieties of the apple; and pears on quince stocks. 
The following sorts would probably succeed best:— 
Bullock’s Pippin, (which mostly fails in New-York.) 
Jonathan, Swaar, Newtown Pippin (with lime or ashes 
added, if necessary,) Esopus Spitzenburgh, Red. Cana¬ 
da, Rambo, Belmont, and other varieties of the apple, 
which improve in flavor on a fertile soil, and not Bald¬ 
win, Rhode Island Greening, &c., where the flavor de¬ 
teriorates on too rich a locality. Among the best mar¬ 
ket pears, for quince stocks, the Winkfield, Lawrence, 
Easter Beurre, Beurre Die], Passe Colmar, Glout Mor- 
ceau, &c., will be best among the late autumn sorts, 
which will bear distant transportation. 
If the soil alluded to is sufficiently compact and 
firm, to bear good crops of wheat, corn, potatoes, and 
other similar farm products, it will doubtless produce 
the above named fruits; but if of a mo1*e spongy or 
peaty nature, their success tvill be of a very doubtful 
nature, while at the same time such localities will be 
very liable to frost. As a general thing, pears on 
quince stocks will grow better on peaty soils than any 
other kinds of fruit. 
Soils for Apples. 
1st. On what kind of soil will the Swaar apple succeed 
best 7 2d. On what do the Esopus Spitzenburg 7 3d. 
On what do the Roxbury Russet 7 
4th. Is the Melon apple equal to any of the above va¬ 
rieties for the desert or domestic use—is it productive 
—is the fruit fair or imperfect 7 
My reason for making the above inquiries is, the soil 
of my orchard varies from a dry gravely soil to a strong 
clay loam, and I wish to plant in each kind the variety 
most suitable for it. Respectfully yours, N. S. Roe. 
A very extensive observation is needed to pronounce 
upon the right kind of soil required for certain varieties 
of the apple—there are so many causes to influence 
success, that it is difficult to arrive at a general rule, 
applicable everywhere. Within our own limited expe¬ 
rience, however, we have found the Swaar to do much 
the best on strong, rich, rather heavy soil, and the Rox¬ 
bury Russet rather best on those of a lighter character. 
Not much difference has been observed relative to the 
Esopus Spitzenburg. The great thing however 
for success, and nearly always much more important 
than all else, is good, rich, careful cultivation, on what¬ 
ever soil the trees may stand. The Melon apple is in¬ 
ferior to none as a table fruit—but it is a slow grower, 
and only moderately fair and productive. 
Grapes and Strawberries. 
I propose to start two grape vines this spring, and 
would like your views as to the best sort, quickest to 
realize from, and best modes of culture ; also the best 
sorts of strawberries. J. C. Patten. Le Roy, N. Y. 
For ordinary open air culture, our correspondent will 
find the Isabella to answer his purpose best, and to be 
the most productive. The seasons in Western New- 
York are hardly long enough for the Catawba., which is 
otherwise equally excellent. The Diana is ten days 
earlier than the Isabella, but a slower grower. The 
Clinton is early, productive, and vigorous, but not so 
good as the others we have named. Grapes need a 
deep, rich, and sufficiently dry or drained soil, which 
must be kept cultivated; usually any fertile garden 
soil will answer, but the deeper and richer the finer will 
be the fruit. Pruning is absolutely necessary, twice a 
year—for directions, see any of the best works on the 
culture of fruit. 
The best strawberries for the above locality, are 
Large Early Scarlet, Hovey’s Seedling and Burr’s New 
Best Currants. 
Messrs. Editors —In a late No. you have given 
some directions about pruning the currant bush. Now 
I want to know what kinds are best for marketing— 
the best mode of cultivation, the distance apart, and 
particularly whether it is best to trim to a single stem 
or to set them in the old way. D. B. Richards. 
The best sorts for market are the Red and White 
Dutch. The White Grape currant is also a very pro¬ 
ductive sort. The two former are but little larger 
than the common red and white sorts, but possess a de¬ 
cided advantage in longer bunches. But if they can¬ 
not easily be had in quantity for planting in market 
grounds, the common sorts with high culture and pru¬ 
ning will do nearly as well, and grow more than trijfie 
the ordinary size. 
We have not found it best to train the bushes to a 
single stem, unless it branches out close to the ground. 
The only advantage of the single stem is ease of clean 
cultivation. The currants will grow as large and abun¬ 
dantly if the several stems of an ordinary bush are 
kept well pruned, and under the- best cultivation, that 
is with manuring and a clean mellow soil. All wood 
over three years old should be kept constantly cut 
away, and the young and vigorous shoots left—which 
should be evenly distributed through the bush, and 
never crowded. A constant succession of these may 
be more easily kept up on a plant bushing from the 
ground, than on a single stem a foot high. 
Any one who wishes to purchase a fine farm, 
well stocked with fruit, in a good neighborhood, with the 
best facilities for markets, is referred to the advertise¬ 
ment of Wm. R. Smith in this paper. 
