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N. B. Some persons may prefer for profit the Buffum to the Urbaniste, as it produces crops much sooner, but it is not equal in quality.

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3 Seckel...

3 Beurre Superfin.

4 Sheldon...

3 Beurre d'Anjou..

3 Urbaniste..

3 General Taylor, extra.

4 Beurre Diel.

2 Beurre Clairgeau.

3 Glout Morceau...

4 Lawrence.

4 Prince's St. Germain

3 Winter Nelis.

4 Doyenné d'Alençon.

....

Period of Maturity. ...July 15 to July 30. July 25 to August 10. July 25 to August 10. Last of July. Middle of August. Middle of August. ..Last of August. Aug. 15 to Sep. 10. .Middle of September. Middle of September. .Middle of September. .Throughout September. ..Last of September. .Last of September. ...Sep. 20 to Oct. 10. September and October. September and October.

...

September and October.
September and October.
..All of October.
.....October.

.October and November.
October and November.
...November.

....October to December. ..October to January. .December.

. December and January.

December to March. ..Dec. 15 to Jan. 15. . December to April. NOTE-Pears budded on the Crataegus cordata, a vigorous species of hawthorn, are more hardy than on the pear or quince stock, and form medium standards attaining a height of 30 feet, which is quite sufficient for all useful purposes. They come much sooner into bearing than standards on the pear stock, and occupy the same intermediate position as apples on the Doucin stock, and cherries on the Mahaleb stock.

Mr. William S. Carpenter.-Mr. Prince does not include the Doyenné d'Été, which is a far better pear than the Madeleine, which is only a thirdrate pear, and, although a strong grower, is apt to blight, particularly at the West, while the Doyenné is very hardy and a great bearer.

Mr. Prince replied that the Doyenné is too small for a market pear, and that the Madeleine is ten days earlier.

Mr. John G. Bergen.-I cannot agree with Mr. Prince in this. I do agree with Mr. Carpenter, after having tried both sorts. The list is a very good one for one who wants a great assortment, though I think it might have

been improved. It is lacking in one very essential particular; it does not name the pears in the order of their excellence nor time of ripening.

Mr. Prince replied that he supposed he was talking to a company of enlightened pomologists, or at least to those who are able to consult Downing's or some other fruit book, for the description, quality and time of ripening of the sorts named.

Mr. Solon Robinson. Mr. Prince forgets that if I should print this list in The Tribune it might be read by 400,000 persons, who would not have it in their power to consult Downing or any other standard author upon this subject.

Mr. Prince. Then I will take the list and revise it as suggested, and furnish it for publication, and I believe it will be the best ever printed. Mr. Carpenter-Not while it rejects the Beurré Bosc, which is certainly one of the best and most profitable winter pears grown.

Dr. Trimble.—Yes, if grown upon Jersey soil. There's no mistake in that. It is one of the most thrifty trees, one of the most productive, and should be upon all lists of pears recommended for general cultivation.

Mr. Prince replied that the gentlemen were entirely mistaken; that it is not the Beurré Bosc that they were describing, but the Paradise d'Automne, which is a good, thrifty variety, while the Beurré Bosc is utterly worthless for its scrubby growth.

Mr. John G. Bergen.-There is another little difficulty in the list. Mr. Prince recommends the Jargonelle. I should like to know what he means by that, as the only pear known in this country as the Jargonelle, that is worthy of cultivation, is the Windsor or Summer Bell. There are two others called Jargonelle-one English and one French-but I would not recommend either for general cultivation.

Mr. Prince disputed this point-said the Windsor was an old rejected sort; was only fit to grow for a cooking pear, while the true Jargonelle is one of the handsomest and best grown.

Mr. Bergen. But which of the Jargonelles do you recommend? There is certainly great difference of opinion about which is which, and the public need to be enlightened.

Dr. Grant. There is another pear which is not named on this list, which should be upon every one, great or small. This is the Rostiezer, which is one of the best late summer or autumn pears known to pomologists. Its flesh is juicy, melting, somewhat buttery, exceedingly sugary, vinous, aromatic, and pleasantly perfumed.

Mr. Prince. After the remarks made, I will make a few corrections to my list before handing it to the Secretary.

THE GRAPE.

Mr. W. R. Prince.-I have made a selection of the hardiest and earliest table grapes, suitable for the most northern sections of our country, all of which are of the indigenous American species.

Albino.-Bronzed white, medium size, very good flavor, much esteemed. Alvey or Hager.-Black, medium size, excellent quality, very estimable. August Coral.-Full medium size, bright red, honeyed sweet, one of the earliest, much valued, cluster small, but an immense crop.

Black Imperial.-Very large, extremely sweet, somewhat foxy, but melting at maturity, earliest of black grapes, hangs long and improves. Braddock.-Rather large, purplish, sweet, very good flavor, quite early. Carter's Virginian.—Medium size, purple, vinous, pleasant flavor.

Catawissa or Creveling.—Large, black, fine flavor, one of the best early market grapes, very superior to Adirondac.

Coriell.-Large, purple, excellent flavor, superior to Isabella, and ripens earlier; an important acquisition.

Concord.-Large, black, very good, hangs long.

Franklin. Medium size, dark blue, early, sweet, very good flavor.

Hartford Prolific.—Black, large, very early, fine quality, but inferior to several others that are equally early, apt to drop at maturity.

Louisa.-Dark purple, size and quality similar to Isabella, ripens ten days earlier.

Logan.-Rather large, dark purple, very early, good quality, the vine less vigorous than most others.

Mary Ann.-Large, black, very good flavor, very early.

Narcissa.-Large, dark, a magnificent berry, very sweet, more musky and delicious than the Isabella, its parent.

North America.-Large, black, early, sweet, excellent flavor.
Osmond.-Medium size, dark, very good flavor.

St. Catharine.-Large, purplish red, sweet, sub-acid, sprightly flavor, delicious.

Taylor's Bullitt.-Small, white, early, sweet, fine, flavor of Chassalas; its size is objectionable.

Troy Hamburgh.-Large, dark purple; appearance, flavor and quality similar to Isabella, and nearly equal, ripens much earlier, and the vine more hardy and robust, amazingly productive, has borne twenty bushels to a vine. Warren's Catawba.-White, bronzed next the sun, very sweet, slight aroma, superior to Isabella and Concord, hangs long and improves.

White Globe.-Bronzed white, rather large, very sweet, musky, good flavor, hangs long on the vine.

Wyoming.-Medium, dark blue, very early, sweet, pleasant flavor. York Madeira.-Medium, black, very early, sweet, juicy, vinous, pleasant flavor.

We omit Norton's Virginia, Clinton and some others, which, although very hardy and early, are not equal in quality of fruit, being better suited for wine than for the dessert.

CAUTION TO GRAFTERS.

A letter from Providence, R. I., gives the following important information (if true) to persons setting grafts. The writer says:

"I will state a fact long known to me (perhaps as well known to others), viz: that persons while making the incision for the graft, frequently hold the slip or bud between the lips or in the mouth, and if by so doing one particle of spittle comes in contact with any cut part of the bud or slip, it will not live nor grow. If any gardener doubts the above, let him try the experiment. If you think the above worthy of consideration, please read this letter to your Club at its next meeting."

OSIER WILLOW.

Mr. Isaac Trombly, of Lee county, Ill., thinks osier would be a profitable crop, if it were not for the expense of peeling by hand, and wants some member of the Club to inform him whether there is a machine for the purpose, and where it can be obtained.

Mr. Solon Robinson replied.-There is such a machine, which does the work cheaply and effectually, and if the patentees of the machine contrived for peeling osiers were possessed of a particle of business acumen, they would not only let Mr. Trombly know, but all the rest of mankind, where such machines could be obtained.

IS MULE-BREEDING PROFITABLE?

Mr. Wm. E. Haughton, of Fulton county, Ohio, wants to know if mulebreeding would be profitable. If he is a man or ordinary intelligence he might have discovered that it is so, and is extensively practiced in Kentucky, Tennessee, and nearly all the States adjoining. Fine thorough bred mares, and jacks worth $1,000 each, are used, but the progeny brings such high prices that the business is profitable.

THE POTATO DISEASE-ONCE MORE.

Mr. Solon Robinson.—I do not know which would be the greatest affliction upon the country, the potato rot or the printing of all that has been written upon the subject. Here is a letter from Mr. J. R. Plumb, Fulton, Jackson county, Iowa, one of the thirty Fultons with which the country is blessed, covering three mortal long pages, and undoubtedly containing a sovereign remedy for the disease. I have not read it, and if I should, and it contained ever so much valuable information, I would not print it; first, because it is written upon both sides of the paper-will correspondents take a hint from this? Secondly, because I have done printing matter that is as effete as the disease itself. I therefore bequeath the letter, with many thanks to the writer for his good intentions, to any member of the Club who will undertake the task of reading it, which I am unable to do until my eyesight improves.

APPLE POMACE FOR MANURE.

Mr. John F. King, of Olcott, Niagara county, N. Y., writes: "What will be the best way to dispose of a quantity of apple pomace? Some of it has lain for three years, and been worked over by hogs. Is it worth anything for manure? I should like to hear the opinion of the Club."

Here it is in brief:

Mr. Solon Robinson said he would not give sixpence a load unless to use in a compost heap to produce fermentation. The most of the manurial value is in the straw.

Mr. John G. Bergen.-I have had a good deal of experience with pomace. We used to make a great deal of cider, and preferred to throw away the pomace and buy manure; yet I believe after it has lain, as this man describes, till the acid is gone off, it has some value, but not enough to pay for hauling a long distance. On some soils it may be good manure.

Prof. Mapes.-Not unless the acetic acid is neutralized-it is not beneficial to any soil, and to some would be very injurious. I think the most of the manurial value is in the seeds. None of the Jersey farmers esteem it.

Dr. Trimble.-My observation leads me to the conclusion that the most of the manurial value comes from the droppings of the hogs that have rooted over the pomace in search of apple seeds. I do not believe that new pomace is worth anything whatever for manure.

NATIVE FRUITS IN WISCONSIN.

Mr. David R. Beal, of New Richmond, St. Croix county, Wis., thinks that some of the native fruits of that State are well worthy of cultivation, and ought to be collected and experimented upon. He says: "Of the cherry, there is a species growing here wild on bushes, but little larger than currant bushes; the bush resembles the flowering almond very much, and blossoms in the same way-that is, along the whole length of the branch. The fruit is very large for wild fruit, about the size of the ox-heart; flavor somewhat like the choke cherry, but not so astringent; ripens in August, olor, black."

Mr. Prince said that this fruit is really a plum, and not a cherry.
Mr. Beal writes further:

"I have planted some pits from these cherries, which came up and are doing well. I also transplanted some, which are likewise doing well. They would be easy to propagate by layers, as I see that where a branch happens to be lying on the ground, it readily takes root. Now, if you would like to procure seed or plants from said trees or shrubs, I will be happy to forward them to you. Of the plums, the best way to begin a course of cultivation would be to procure seed from the best and then plant, and select the best, destroying the poor, so that the pollen shall mix with none. but good varieties, or plant in close proximity to excellent known varieties, so that the pollen may mix. But we cannot experiment in that way here, as the plum will not succeed with us, on account of our winters, which are too dry."

Mr. Beal also sent two specimens of fibrous plants called Indian hemp, which Mr. Prince says is the Apocynum cannabinum and Apocynum androsæmifolium-both perennials that may be mown annually, and perhaps may prove valuable acquisitions.

HOW TO KEEP GRAPES.

Mr. Solon Robinson read the following letter from Mr. Samuel Mitchel, Cameron Mills, Steuben county, March 30:

"I send you a few Isabella grapes, which you will oblige me by presenting to the Farmers' Club as a sample of the length of time this fruit will keep perfect when properly cared for. They were put up in boxes one foot square and six inches deep, containing three layers of grapes with sheets of common newspaper between. They were packed as they were picked from the vines, and placed in a cool cellar, and not opened until this spring, when they appeared almost as fresh as when first picked. You will perceive that most of the stems are yet fresh and green, and the

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