THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
JAPAN WEEPING ROSE-FLOWERED CHERRY. 
CERASUS JAPONICA ROSEA PENDULA. 
Among trees of drooping habit, there is none more 
beautiful than the one represented by the frontispiece of this 
issue. The beauty of the tree consists not only in its 
graceful, pendulous habit, but it has, besides, the merit of 
producing quantities of flowers in the blossoming season, 
and the branches when covered with these, give the tree a 
novel, interesting and charming effect, as will be seen from 
the picture. 
The foliage of the tree, too, is handsome. This tree is 
well suited for either large or small places, and should be 
planted by itself, where it can have room to develop. By 
cutting, it can be confined to a small space, and if permitted 
to grow it will cover considerable ground in the course of 
time. No drooping tree of recent introduction has more 
merits than this. It was brought from Japan by Von Sie- 
bold. The photo-engraving is from a sample in the posses¬ 
sion of Ellwanger «& Barry. 
During the month of December, 1892, the Italian min¬ 
istry of agriculture published its preliminary estimate of the 
wine production of the Kingdom of Italy for 1892, placing 
the aggregate at 881,419,055 gallons. In the revised esti¬ 
mate just published this quantity is increased to 897,432,195 
gallons, or 79,789,035 gallons less than the wine product 
for 1891: The decrease was caused by the unfavorable 
season in Sicily, in the South Mediterranean region, in 
Rome, and in Umbria. Since 1890 there has been a steady 
increase in the area planted to vines from 8,476,425 acres 
m that year to 8,565,591 acres in 1892. The range of the 
yield per acre is wide, from a minimum production of three- 
tenths of a gallon to a maximum of 750, or even 850, 
gallons per acre, the average yield being 104.8 gallons, as 
against 114.8 gallons during the preceding year. The im¬ 
portation of wine into Italy is comparatively unimportant. 
While the exportation is large, it does not nearly reach 10 
per cent, of the quantity retained for home consumption. 
In no section of the country is so much attention 
paid to practical experiments with a view to removing 
causes of failure in fruit crops as in California. This is 
the case naturally, because upon her fruit crop that state 
places most of her dependence. Professor Alexander 
Craw, Entomologist of the California State Board of 
Horticulture recently distributed 494 colonies of rhixo- 
bius ventralis, the parasite which destroys the black 
scale. This scale affects everything on the coast from 
olive trees to telegraph poles. The parasite has proved 
to be a most efficient destroyer of the great pest. A 
more thorough study of the causes of fruit failure in 
other sections and a general application of remedies 
would encourage fruit growers who feel that profits in 
this direction are rapidly decreasing. 
141 
WILLIAM SMITH. 
The senior member of the W. & T. Smith Company, 
of Geneva, is one of the most experienced nurserymen 
in this country. His retiring disposition is the cause of 
his not being so well known as he should be, but his 
friends and acquaintances constitute a wide circle. The 
firm of W. & T., & E. Smith began business in 1846. 
A few years afterward Edward Smith withdrew and es¬ 
tablished a fruit business on Seneca Lake, which has be¬ 
come extensive. No firm stands higher in the nursery 
trade than does that of W. & T. Smith. William Smith 
is noted for strict integrity. He has alwa5^s been a 
champion of fair dealing. He is 76 years of age, and 
like his brother, Thomas, is hale and hearty, actively 
participating daily in the transaction of the immense 
business of the company. The subject of this sketch is 
an expert in distinguishing varieties of fruit trees in a 
dormant condition, being one of the few in the world 
who can do this under all conditions. He is a great 
reader and a close student of the sciences. He has es¬ 
tablished an observatory at Geneva which for some time 
has been under the charge of the well-known astronomer, 
Professor Brooks. There is nothing connected with 
the conduct of a large nursery and the raising of fruit of 
all kinds which William Smith does not thoroughly un¬ 
derstand. His opinions on horticultural matters are 
highly valued. A pioneer in the nursery business in 
Western New York, he has seen many changes. 
