120 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
April. 
Horticultural Notes. 
The Circle of Pears. —Keeping apples the 
year round, so as to furnish a supply for every 
day of the year, is an oid experiment, which all 
good cultivators have found no difficulty in per¬ 
forming. But with pears it is quite a different 
thing, and many, not .understanding all the condi¬ 
tions for raising, gathering, keeping, and ripening 
the "winter varieties, nave.come to the conclusion 
that winter pears are worthless. As a proof, 
however, .of what may he accomplished, when skill 
and experience direct in their management, Col. 
'.Wilder, states that the Easter Beurre, Doyenne 
d’hirer nouveau , Be.urre Bretoncau. and most of 
those with a thick, rough epidermis, are readily 
kept through the winter and spring, and into 
summer, and that some of this character he had 
preserved “ in perfect condition the past season, 
and had them in eating, with the Madeleine , in 
August.” - 
Handsome and Crooked Trees from Kurse- 
Ri'MisN.—A very sensible article on this subject 
appears in a late number of the Genesee Farmer, 
in which, after alluding to the groat difference in 
the size and beauty of trees of different sorts, al¬ 
though of the same age, and similarly.cultivated 
and treated, the editor points out the great disad- 
pointment which this difference sometimes causes 
to purchasers. The Gravenstein, Baldwin , Nor¬ 
thern Spy, Rambo, Late Strawberry , and others', 
are rapid and straight growers, and any purchaser 
would be sure to be pleased with any trees lie may 
get of these varieties, even with very little pains in 
selection. The same may be said of Bartlett, 
Madeleine , Angnuleme. Bujfuin, and Louise Bonne 
of Jersey pears,* Black Tartarian , Napoleon 
Bigarreau, and Downer cherries: Washington 
and Imperial Gage plums, &c. But if he orders 
Early Joe , Melon, or Red Canada apples, or 
Marie Louise, Winter Nelis, or Seckel pears; or 
Plumstone Morel lo or May duke cherries; even if 
whdle rows are searched for the best, the nursery¬ 
man is sure to get plenty of abuse, for li such 
stunted, crooked, horrible trees.” It is recom¬ 
mended that nurserymen designate the character 
of growth in their catalogues, that those who want 
handsome trees may know which to order; after 
which, soundness, genuineness, good roots, and 
good packing, be only required for the stunted 
and crooked growers. 
Transplanting Dwarf Pears. —Cultivators 
are aware that the best trees are those which are 
worked as near the root as practicable; as deep 
planting should in all cases be avoided. Col. 
Wilder states that he has sometimes received 
dwarf pears from Europe grafted six or eight in¬ 
ches above the surface, in which cases he Uniform¬ 
ly plants the whole of the root under ground, 
counteracting the deleterious effects of deep plant¬ 
ing, by removing the long shank below with the 
lower and now inactive roots. 
Bleeker’s Meadow Pear. —This pear, which 
as grown in New York, we have usually regarded 
as about fourth-rate, is likely to prove of considera¬ 
ble value, in its place. Although commonly suppo¬ 
sed to ripen about mid-autumn, it will keep into 
winter at the north, and good specimens have been 
kept even as late as mid-winter, some of which 
were exhibited by Ellwanger & Barry at the win¬ 
ter meeting of the N. Y. State Agricultural Soci¬ 
ety. The fine and remarkably vigorous growth 
of the tree and its great productiveness.and the fine 
, quality of the fruit for stewing, are likely to fen¬ 
der this a valuable culinary sort , especially as 
good cooking pears for winter use are quite valu¬ 
able. In Pennsylvania, where this variety is con¬ 
siderably known as the Fcaster, it succeeds much 
better than here, as a table fruit, and when well 
ripened, sometimes becomes of really fine quality. 
Winter Fears in France. 
We observe in the late report of the proceedings 
of the Horticultural Society of the Department of 
Lower Seine, the following names of the pears ex¬ 
hibited during the last winter- and spring, which 
will show what sorts are time cultivated and kept 
during this usual season of dearth for fresh pears.* 
On the 6th of December. Le Cut e : , iWinkfielth) Fi hnchiparie. 
u 7th of January, Easter Beurre. Fortunee. Doyenne 
d’Alencon, and very fine Passe Colrnais: 
“ 4th of February, Sageret., Passe Colmar, Beurre 
d’Hiver Nouveau, and Easter Beurre. 
' u 27th of March, Passe Colmar-s. 
“ 5th of May. Duchesse de Berry d’HiVer. 
“ 15th of May.* Bon Chretien de Naples, described as 
only for cooking, but valuable for its long keeping., 
handsome form, and brilliaW, coloring 
G-rapes for Cold Houses. 
J. Fisk ‘Allen, of Salem, Mass., widely known 
as a most skillful cultivator of the grape, succeeds 
admirably, by means of his forcing, Cola, and re¬ 
tarding houses, in furnishing a supply of this 
delicious fruit during the entire yearly circle. 
Forcing grapes, so as to ripen tHjem by the first 
days of summer; -and raising them in cold honses- 
for a supply throughout autumn, are well under, 
stood and commonly practiced. A retarding 
house, for winter ripening, and for keeping them 
hanging upon the vines in safety.till wanted, is a 
greater rarity, and it may prove very desirable 
with those who shall attempt it, to know what sorts 
do best for .this purpose. The late report of the 
fruit committee of the Massachusetts Horticultu¬ 
ral Society, furnishes the following list for this 
purpose, from J. F. Allen, which lie states is the 
result of ten years experiment 
Those which continue fresh or without drying, 
in the retarding house, are Prince Albert, Queen 
of Nice, -Syrian Porteau Noir, Black Portugal, 
Whortley Hall Seedling, Muscat of Alexandria. 
' Black Hamburgh, Wilmot’s New Black Ham¬ 
burgh, and Victoria Hamburgh, dry up some. 
The following dry badly:—All the Fontignans, 
Black, White and Grizzly, and Zinfindal; Black 
St. Peter’s is uncertain. 
The Lily. 
Long has the lily been dignified with the appel¬ 
lation of the “ Patrician,” among flowers- The 
emblem at once of Dignity and of Innocence, it has 
ever'held a deservedly high place in the temple of 
Flora. Yet, until Dr Siebold, now nearly twen¬ 
ty years ago, introduced to us the majestic “ Li- 
lium lancifolium,” from Japan, the extent of va¬ 
riety as well as beauty of the family was unknown. 
For none of the other species possess the extraor¬ 
dinary crystaline radiance of the pearl-like glands 
