1848. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
323 
HOIITHLT NOTICES—TO 
Communications have been received since our last., 
from Wra. Todd, P. Elithorp, G. H. Dadd, M. D., W. 
Ansley, B. X., A Subscriber, F. Holbrook, Isaac S. 
Beers, W. H. Wills, H. C. W., W. R. Burnett, C. C. 
Munsell. 
Books, Pamphlets, &c.. have been received as fol¬ 
lows:—Speech of Hon. E. B. Holmes, on the River 
and Harbor bill, from Mr. H.——'Seeds of a “ beauti¬ 
ful plant,” known in Wisconsin, as the “ Polar Star,” 
w Arrow Head,” &c., from J. G. Knapp, Esq.-™—■ 
Visit to the principal Vineyards of France and Spain, 
by Jas. Busby, Esq.,” an old book with a new title 
page, the journey having been made in 1831, and the 
book issued in 1835, from the publisher.'-The 
Farmer’s Cabinet,” 12th vol., from Josiah Tatem. 
-- “ Catalogue of the Ashton Nurseries of Thomas 
Hancock,” near Burlington, N. J.-- •“ Lime and 
Marl: their Agricultural uses, with explanations of 
their properties and management,” &c., by James 
Hyatt, Chemist of the Mount Airy Ag. Institute—— 
et Report of Committee on Public Lands, on draining 
the Ever Glades, in Florida,” from Hon. J. D. West- 
cott, Jr., U. S. Senate.- “ Catalogue of the Hamil¬ 
ton Nursery, Canterbury, Orange county, N. Y.,”from 
C. Hamilton, proprietor. 
Imported Merino Sheep. —Mr. A. L. Bingham 
of Cornwall, Vt., passed through this city in August 
last, with„twenty-one Merino sheep, nine of which 
were purchased of Frs. Rotch, Esq., of Butternuts, 
Otsego county. Six of these, a ram and five ewes, 
were imported by Mr. R. from France in 1846. The 
remainder of the lot, except one lamb, were imported 
from the same country the present season, by J. A. 
Taintor, Esq., of Hartford, Ct. These sheep are of 
the stock noticed by us in our December number of last 
year, (vol. iv. p. 383.) They are of great size, and 
have generally robust and strong frames, indicating 
hardiness of constitution; their wool is remarkably 
thick on the body, giving great weight of fleece, of a 
quality similar to what is usually produced by the Me¬ 
rinos in this country. Under proper management, we 
think they are calculated to improve many of our 
flocks. 
Durhams for Vermont. —Mr. Bingham also pur¬ 
chased of Mr. Rotch, five yearling Durham heifers. 
Mr. B. designs to breed these to his Hereford bulls, of 
which he and his brothers have several fine ones, from 
the herd of Messrs. Corning and Sotham, formerly 
kept in this vicinity. Mr. Bingham is deserving of 
much credit for the spirit he has evinced for the im¬ 
provement of the live-stock of Vermont. 
South Down Sheep. —The advertisement of Mr. 
McIntyre, in relation to his flock of South Downs, is 
worthy the attention of all who are disposed to make 
a trial of this valuable breed, or who may wish to pro¬ 
cure animals to cross with their present stock. Mr. 
Mcl. has bred his sheep with the greatest care, and 
their general excellence is well known. His late pur- 
chase, (to which allusion is made in the advertisement,) 
comprises some first rate animals, so that the charac¬ 
ter of his flock will be kept up. 
Fumigating Plum Trees. —In our last number men¬ 
tion was made of the practice of Caleb Hall, of Blue 
Rock, Ohio, in keeping the curculio from his fruit trees. 
In a letter since received from Mr. J.L. Cox, of Zanes¬ 
ville, the process alluded to is more fully described. 
“ Mr. Hall,” (it is said,) “ melts the brimstone in 
COMUESPOMMEWTS, <&c. 
an iron pot, and woolen rags are then dipped in it. 
Once in five or six days, between sundown and dark, 
he fumigates the trees by means of a pole, to 
which is attached the rag of burning brimstone. He 
begins as soon as the blossom falls from the tree, and 
continues while there is any sign of the insects.” 
“ The Pie Apple.”— -We published a notice of a va¬ 
riety of apple by this name in our volume for 1847, p. 85. 
The writer of that notice, Mr.S. Worden, of Oswego, 
sent us a box of the apples in August last. They had been 
packed in saw-dust for several days, when they reached 
us, and were over-ripe, which prevented their real quali¬ 
ties from being ascertained. It is a very handsome apple 
—fair, and of good size; and we should think would, 
when taken at the proper time, rank among the best- 
flavored apples of the season. Mr. Worden informs 
us that it loses much of its flavor by being kept beyond 
its time. It is said to have been brought from one of 
the Eastern states about thirty years ago, by Mr. 
Moore, whose father raised it from seed. Mr. W. 
states that some have given it the preference over the 
Early Joe. 
Annual Exhibition of the Albany and Rens¬ 
selaer Horticultural Society. —The second annual 
exhibition of this society, was held at the Old State 
Hall, Albany, on the 14th and 15th of September. 
Considering the entire want of plums in this vicinity, 
the present season, the display of fruits was good. 
The show of flowers was fine, and in tastefulness of ar¬ 
rangement was superior to any former occasion. Vege¬ 
tables were abundant, and excepting the very common 
fault of being over-grown, were of a quality creditable 
to the producers. 
We noticed fine samples of new and choice kinds of 
pears from S. C. Groot, of Schenectady, J. J. Thomas, 
Macedon, Mr. Rankin, Newark, New-Jersey, D. T. 
Vail, and H. Vail, Troy, Judge Harris, Judge Par¬ 
ker, and Dr. Wendell, of Albany. 
There were some good samples of peaches from 
Mr. Rankin, Mr. Thomas, and Mr. Vail. 
Fine specimens of apples were shown by Mr. Pren¬ 
tice, Dr. Ward, Mr. Vail, Mr. Kirtland, and others. 
V. P. Douw, Greenbush, Mr. Rathbone, Kenwood, 
H. Vail, Troy, and Mr. Rankin, of New Jersey, 
showed very good samples of choice kinds of grapes. 
Melons of several kinds were shown by D. T. Vail, Dr, 
J. Wilson, Dr. Wendell, and Mr. Kirtland. The 
Bokhara melon, shown by the latter gentleman, was 
pronounced of very superior quality. 
The principal contributors of flowers were Messrs. 
Wilson, Menand, Newcomb, of Pittstown, Rens. 
county, D. T. Vail, Dr. Wendell, Mr. Douw, of 
Greenbush, and the president of the society, Mr. Rath- 
bone. The latter gentleman presented a “ floral de¬ 
sign,” in the form of a candleabra, composed of a great 
number of different kinds of flowers, most beautiful in 
appearance, which elicited much admiration. The 
bouquets of Mr. Wilson were also, (as they deserved 
to be,) much praised. 
Among the vegetables we noticed a superior kind of 
cabbage, from John H. Willard, Troy. Some of the 
heads weighed nearly twenty pounds each. The quali¬ 
ty is first-rate. 
Exhibition of, the Rensselaer County Ag. So¬ 
ciety. —The annual exhibition of this Society took 
place at Troy, on the 20th and 21st of September. The 
display was good , though‘unfavorable weather on the 
