210 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Transatlantic Exchanges of Fruits. 
Exchanges of fruits, perishable and durable, between 
pomologists, is an old practice • but it has been mostly 
conducted between near neighbors only, that is those not 
more than five hundred, or a thousand miles at furthest, 
asunder. European varieties, we were compelled to 
fruit for ourselves, before we could get even an indis¬ 
tinct sight of them; we could not in the first place know 
any thing of their qualities as grown across the water; 
nor, in the next, compare their qualities as ripened there, 
with those matured under our own skies and sun. But 
the way in which the brine is now cut by steamers be¬ 
tween the two continents, is about to remove these diffi¬ 
culties. The Massachusetts Horticultural Society re¬ 
ceived, last autumn, from Leroy’s nursery in France, 
upwards of 175 varieties of fruits, including 116 of pears, 
36 of apples, besides other smaller kinds. Notwithstand¬ 
ing their journey first to Liverpool, then to New-York, 
with a week’s delay at the latter place before reaching 
Boston, a large portion of them were in perfect order for 
examination and comparison. 
The B cur re. Ranee thus received, remarks C. M. IIo- 
vey in his Magazine, “ though prematurely ripened, was 
one of the finest pears we have tasted, and almost or 
quite equal to the Winter Nelis. The specimen weighed 
nearly a pound, and was, exceedingly fine. It scarcely 
seems possible that our Beurre Ranee can be the same ; 
though it is hardly possible that it should be otherwise, 
as it has been received from the London Horticultural 
Society and other sources, both in England, France, and 
Belgium. Mr. Thompson has described it as the u best 
very late pearand we may add, so far as this speci¬ 
men would allow us to judge, that he has not overrated 
its excellence.” 
The Curculio in Michigan. 
Eds. Cultivator — I was a constant reader of the 
Cultivator for the first fourteen years of its existence, and 
I have no doubt I have lost much in being without it for 
the last three or four years, and intend to procure the 
absent volumes the first opportunity. 
I propose in this communication to speak of the pro¬ 
gress of the curculio in southern Michigan. I have been 
a resident of Lenawee county for the last eighteen years. 
The first depredations of this insect commenced about 
six years ago, the first season attacking a few only of our 
choicest plums; the succeeding year they were more 
numerous, and since, continuing to increase from year to 
year, puncturing every variety of plums, and also cher¬ 
ries, to considerable extent, and in some instances peaches 
• and even apples. All reputed remedies have utterly 
failed to save the fruit the last season. Previous to last 
year, those who were careful to jar their trees daily for 
two or three weeks, and destroying the captured rebels, 
succeeded in saving a portion of their fruit. But the last 
season, this practice too was an entire failure; even when 
persevered in for months. In some sections of our coun¬ 
try confining hogs to the plum orchard has been thought 
advantageous, and which has been the practice of the 
writer with signal success until within two years—my 
hogs being regularly fed under one tree, treading the 
June. 
ground so much as to destroy all vegetation—this tree 
retained its fruit until ripening, excepting last year. 
The cultivators of this fruit are entirely discouraged. 
One object in this communication is to inquire, and if 
possible, to ascertain from you or any of your subscri¬ 
bers, through the Cultivator, if the curculio has ever 
been known to absent itself from any district where it has 
been known to be prevalent—if not, then we may as 
well cut down our trees at once. Before the appearance 
of this insect, finer plums were never grown, perhaps, 
than in this section, fine crops being obtained from graft¬ 
ing on the wild plum (Prunus americana,) in three or 
four years time. 
Southern Michigan is well adapted to the growing of 
fruit, producing many of the finest varieties; and when 
the great chain of railroads shall be completed connect¬ 
ing it with New-York, you may calculate on finding an 
article in your markets that will not be surpassed. But 
enough for the present. Perhaps I may resume this sub¬ 
ject hereafter, if agreeable. B. J. H. Adrian,Feb., 1852. 
Splitting Frozen Timber—Timber Chains. 
Eds. Cultivator —It is well known that timber splits 
freer, and with fewer splinters, when frozen, (indeed the 
frost alone is known to split open the largest trees;) be¬ 
sides the farmer is most at leisure at this season of the 
year, and the only difficulty is to prevent the wedges 
from flying out. 
To avoid this, have your wedges made of iron with 
full corners, then, with a sharp cold-chisel, cut beards on 
the corners, and if your timber is not unusually tough it 
will not be necessary to pick up the wedge after each 
blow of the beetle. It is admitted that when timber is 
frozen, the split is more likely i: to run out,” but that is 
of little consequence for fuel or fencing either, where 
timber is plenty. 
When a farmer needs a strong chain for drawing tim¬ 
ber and rocks, he goes to the village blacksmith and pays 
him from twelve to seventeen cents per pound fora heavy 
chain, with links from three to five inches long, or per¬ 
haps he pays two or three cents per pound for a few yards 
of cast off cable or rigging chain. In either case, he 
makes a better bargain for his blacksmith than be does 
for himself. 
A better policy is to buy at a ship furnishing store, or 
elsewhere, for nine cents or less per pound, from fifteen 
to eighteen feet of rigging chain, made of the best re¬ 
fined iron, of the size of 7-16 inch, then have a, good 
hook with short shank put on each end, but don’t have a 
swivel or any long links put in it to hook into, for 
they will be worse than useless, as they do not render 
freely through the hooks, and are more likely to break 
than other parts of the chain. 
To “ hook up,” instead of the long links, some have 
a crotched hook to hook astride the chain, and if well 
made they answer a good purpose, but there is a method 
of tying which is nearly as good. First draw the end 
through the yoke ring as far as you wish to shorten, then 
pass it across the chain and up through the loop; then 
hook back around the chain, and if the shank of the 
hook is not too long, it will keep its place perfectly. A 
chain of the above description will stand almost any 
service, and for many farmers one made of § inch iron, 
will be amply sufficient and much lighter to handle. W. 
Waterbury , New-Haven county, Ct., Jan. 21, 1852. 
