THE NATIONAL 
NURSERYMAN 
23 
SLArpy —A chance seedling of Elberta, originating at Mar- 
shallville, Georgia. A tree of Elberta type and has been ex¬ 
tensively exploited in Alabama as an early Elberta. The tree 
a shy bearer, fruit oblong pointed, yellow with red cheek, 
develops flesh mostly on one side of pit and but very little on 
other. A sort of half peach with the skin and a little flesh 
drawn over the exposed pit side. Matures two weeks ahead 
of Elberta and when packed best side up has made a fine 
show in early market and a few have sold at high prices. It 
is tempting some to plant what is really a very inferior peach. 
SYMPHORICARPUS. 
We have recently received through the kindness of Thomas 
B. Meehan & Sons, Dreshertown, Pa., samples of fruiting twigs 
of two species of Symphoricarpus, forwarded by the Jewell 
Nursery Company of Minnesota, for identification. We find 
these to be Symphoricarpus racemosus and Symphoricarpus 
occidentalis. This little group of shrubs contains three very 
interesting and useful forms. The first, Symphoricarpus 
racemosus is the common snowberry or waxberry, found so 
generally in New England and‘the East. There are few 
shrubs more widely known than this one. In the autumn, it is 
loaded with masses of large globular, white berries persisting 
throughout the winter. The plant is hardy and thrives well 
on almost any soil from heavy clay to dry gravel. The leaves 
like the fruit cling late int o the winter. 
The second form is Symphoricarpus occidentalis , the wolf- 
berry of the Western plains. It is probably a geographic 
variation of the preceding. It differs principally, in that the 
fruit is smaller and that the berries are not so clear and waxy. 
The leaves are somewhat larger and persist later in the season. 
The third variety is Symphoricarpus vulgaris, the Indian 
currant, or so called coral berry. This also has a wide distribu¬ 
tion and is found from New Jersey to the Dakotas, ranging as 
far South as Georgia and Texas. The Indian currant is par¬ 
ticularly desirable as an embankment plant. The branches 
fall to the ground take root and throw up new stems. On 
account of this characteristic, it is useful in holding soil on 
steep terraces and in covering rugged and unattractive places. 
The dark magenta red of the fruit makes it attractive. The 
wax berries as a group are being more freely used for decorative 
purposes than in the past. 
ABOUT PEARS IN IOWA. 
In reply to January number about Lawrence pear; I 
planted twelve jmars ago, in one row, eight Malines, eight 
Lawrence and eight Boussock pear trees. The Malines 
made the poorest growth in wood; fruit, sweet, but too small; 
Lawrence better in wood and fruit; but my choice for wood 
and fruit would be Bouss ock. The blight took hold sooner on 
the top of Boussock. After Boussock pears are sold pur¬ 
chasers ask for more. Lawrence in the East is Winter 
pear, here it is ripe in September. 
Sigourney, Iowa. Henry Schroeder . 
The Garden of recent date, begins an article by the late Dean Hole 
entitled Roses—Past, Present and Future. 
The subject is treated in his usual pleasant manner and is of particu¬ 
lar interest just at this time owing to the late demise of him who has 
taken such an interest and done so much for horticulture.— R. S. N. 
THE QUINCE. 
The quince is a neglected fruit. Here and there sporadic 
efforts have been made to cultivate it on an extensive scale, 
but as as a rule it has been confined or perhaps I should say 
relegated to the roadside, the garden boundary or the chicken 
yard. When properly handled, the quince has proven profit¬ 
able. It is reasonably long lived. One of the most notable 
orchards we have known was the Maxwell quince orchard 
of Geneva, N. Y., which for more than forty years continued 
to bear fruit and bring in a good revenue. This notable 
orchard of fifty acres or more has been practically removed 
within a few years. 
There is a fairly steady demand for the fruit of the quince. 
In later years, it has been profitable. There is more latitude in 
handling the quince than with many other fruits. It will not 
spoil if it is allowed to stand in common storage for a few 
days during a warm spell. Some growers have made a 
success in shipping it in small packages but it is probable that 
the half barrel package is the most desirable although the 
barrel is the usual and rather accepted package upon the 
market at the present date. 
It is a common impression that a quince is a quince “and 
thats the end orfit.” They are looked on very much as cur¬ 
rants are regarded, but there is a great difference in the jelly 
making qualities of different kinds. We had reason to test 
this not very long since and found that the Fidler quince as 
a canned variety was the finest of all kinds tried. It also 
proved excellent for jelly making. 
The leading varieties among the newer kinds introduced 
may be described as follows : 
Fuller —This is of medium size, roundish conical, slightly 
oblique, light yellow skin, thin down, cavity ring protruding 
with ring depressed, basin medium in depth. Flesh is coarse 
and corky. Appears intermediate between apple and pear 
types. 
VanDeman —This is large size, slighlty oblate, 3f by 3^ 
inches apple-shaped, clear yellow ground slightly wooly. The 
basin is deep, narrow and roughly ridged; the flesh is rather 
woody. It is one of the largest and handsomest of the 
apple type and is fairly early. 
Johnson —This is large, pear-shaped, 3 by 3^- inches, 
smooth, ribs obscure, basin broad and deep, skin smoothish, 
dotted finely with small specks, down thin, color greenish 
yellow. Later than Fuller or VanDeman. 
Of these the Fuller appears to be the most promising. It is 
more regular in shape and as already stated, better quality 
than the others. VanDeman is a large, handsome quince of 
the apple type but is lacking in quality or perhaps it would 
be better to say is over-supplied with a fibrous character 
which lowers the character of the quince. J. C. 
G. J. GOULD LOSES SUIT. 
The jurv in the suit of ex-Park Commissioner Frederick W. Kelsey, 
a well known resident of Orange, N. J., against George J. Gould, gave 
a verdict for $787 and costs in favor of the plaintiff. Mr. Kelsey sued 
for $934.25, for plants alleged to have been ordered for Georgian Court, 
Mr. Gould’s summer home at Lakewood, N. J. It was declared that 
Mr. Gould ordered $200 worth of unbrella plants and five carloads of 
rhododendrons, but paid only $104.25 for the umbrella plants. The 
rhododendrons remained in a car on a siding at Georgian Court and 
were finally sold for a small sum. 
William A. Hamilton, who has charge of Mr. Gould’s country home, 
testified that the plants in dispute had not been ordered by Mr. Gould, 
but the plaintiff produced letters and telegrams to show that the con¬ 
trary was true. Mr. Gould did not appear in court. 
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