ROOT-GRAFTING VS. BUDDING. very interesting proceedings of the meeting referred to; but I find the excellent editor of the Prairie Farmer has some condensed cor respondence and remarks of his own, which render the question a plain one to my mind. The thrifty,growing variety will require more time to make a fruitful tree upon a thrifty stock, than upon a starveling. We have some root-grafted orchards in this neighborhood that are as hardy and productive as any. We have eight communications on this question, and several private letters full of the matter; most of the writers have given us the privilege of making extracts, or publishing only as much as we deem best and in fact, all is good and pertinent, but there is quite "too much of a good thing" for our limited space, and the amount already given to this theme in previous numbers. We shall not, therefore, give the entire remarks of any of our friends, and only extracts or abstracts, from those of remote or dissimilar localities. And our friends will distinctly understand, that we take this course because we have really not space for all, and where all are worthy we will not select one in preference to others; though we intend to refer to all now or hereafter, as occasion requires. EDSON HARKNESS says: "I have about 800 to 1,000 grafted and budded trees which have come to bearing. Not much difference as to the number of those budded and those which are grafted. Now, instead of finding a great difference in their hardihood, early bearing, etc., I would not give five dollars to have them all changed to budded trees; or rather I do not think they would have been any better lot of trees had they all at the proper time, been budded on seedling stocks, instead of having been root-grafted. I do not dispute the facts stated by the advocates of exclusive budding, but believe that the inferences they draw from those facts are altogether wrong. There are certain varieties of the apple, which, planted on a rich soil, are very slow in coming to a bearing state. Take the yellow Bellefleur, for instance-it will take ten to fourteen years to come into a bearing condition, and in that time it would spread out in 451 to an enormous tree, whether it be rootgrafted or placed upon a seedling stock, of the same or greater vigor than itself. But place this same Bellefleur upon a rigid slowgrowing seedling stock, and it and it will produce an exceedingly large crop three to And so it is with all the six years sooner. slow in coming to a bearing condition, unvigorous, fast-growing varieties. They are less dwarfed on a crabbed seedling, which checks their vigor, and causes them to These dwarfed throw out fruit buds. trees, however, are not so valuable as those which grow without any check, and become large before beating. I have 16 Michael Henry Pippins, which are on rather rigid stocks-which have up to this time produced an average of 14 bushels of apples in three bearing seasons. I have also two others on very strong stocks, which have not produced more than from six to seven bushels each. But it is probable that the two large trees will in the course of 20 years, produce twice as much as any two of the others." etc., etc. An intelligent and observing nurseryman near Des Moines, Iowa, says he believes both parties are right, according to their experience. With us he finds the causes of the evil in the faults of the methods, not the methods themselves. The entire seedling, whether " grafted" at the neck, or "budded" high up, will give a tree, with abundance of fibrous roots, and, like a root-pruned tree, may be expected to bear more and earlier, in proportion to these roots and the individual nature of the stock-other things being equal-while the tree, made from a scion on a section of root, will have little vitality be yond its own, and will send out only large straggling roots from the scion with few fibers and little inclination to bear fruit; though the wood growth may be great, and dangerous. Our friend also makes some good suggestions with respect to our next meeting of fruit growers, but desires us to withhold his name from the public. We like modesty, but think the name of a man like him always adds weight to his testimony. H. STRICKLAND, of Roscoe, Ills., in a long and interesting communication, dissents from the budders, as a whole, but admits that in some cases, budding may be preferable to root-grafting; though he does not think root- may, when planted at a distance of 20 or grafts have had a fair trial. The scions more feet, adorn the flower beds of a geohave been cut from rapid-growing nursery metric garden, presenting to the eye of trees, and the stocks have been the thriftiest taste the offerings of Flora and Pomona at of the seedlings on hand, while the dwarfs one and the same time.-Wm. Mason, in have been used for budding and a conse- Eng. Gard. Chronicle. quent difference in growth must cause a difference in early bearing. He, too, admits and condemns the western practice of working on pieces of roots-especially lateral roots. And here, we think, is the heart of the matter the difference is in the STOCKS, and possibly the sources of scions, rather than in the methods of working, where all else is equal; but a budded tree is pretty sure of a whole stock to itself, whatever the root-graft may have. Pyramid Pruning. I NEVER see anything like proper pyramid pruning in this country. Having given attention to the mode pursued by our brother gardeners in France, permit me to give critically the mode so followed; that those who like to have trees of that character may, by time and attention, easily supply themselves with them in this country. The process consists in shortening the first year's shoot of the Apple or Pear tree, called the graft shoot, to one foot at a full bud. The first year, on pushing out in spring, rub off all laterals except four or five at the bottom of the stem, to garnish it with a first tier of branches for future years. Train the leader to a stick quite perpendicular. The next winter proceed as before, by shortening the leader 12 inches at a full bud. Remove all intermediate buds as before down the leader, and leave those at the bottom to form a second tier of laterals; and shorten the lower tier to an outside bud. After the second year shoot, the summer pruning consists in rubbing off the laterals, forming now the lower tier, above and below the branch, so as to keep them as horizontal as possible. Strengthen those which grow horizontal, by pinching off the ends, if necessary. Each tier should be as near as may be, 12 or 13 inches, one above the other; and, if possible, the branches of each succeeding tier should be so grown as to be above the intervals of the tier below. Thus, as we see in France, this training makes a beautiful symmetric trce; which, without blousing the borders, EVERY year, and every research tends to demonstrate the amount of ignorance which yet prevails relative to the cause of the Potato Murrain. We have, until now, entertained the opinion that the unnatural treatment the plant and its tubers annually have passed through for centuries might have laid the foundation for this disease. This opinion, however, seems refuted by the fact, that other tuberous-rooted species of the same genus, recently imported direct from their native places on the South American continent, are attacked in Europe by the same disease. The common Potato, most of our readers know, is the Solanum tuberosum; but now, from experiments tried in Germany on the Solanum utile; in the Horticultural Society's Garden on Solanum demissum, brought thither from Mexico; and by M. Decandolle, in France, on Solanum verrucosum, also from Mexico, also that their tubers, it is demonstrated, speedily become affected with the murrain. THERE was a grand exhibition of flowers and plants held at Paris, on the 15th of March, for prizes offered by the Seine Horticultural Society. We shall only notice one or two features as grounds of comparison for our English readers The best Camelias were Archduchess Augusta, Duchess of Northumberland, Madonii, Alba Carozettii, Marquis of Exeter, and Valtaveredo. Not only will it be seen that our English varieties were pre-eminent, but we were glad to observe English growers among the exhibitors, for Messrs. Standish and Noble sent an Azalea Bealii, which one of the French critics characterized as "magnifique." Roses exhibited were Hybrids, Bourbons, and Tea-scented. Among them were La Reine, Vicomtesse Decazes, Souvenir de Malmaison, Duchesse de Montpensier, Baronne Hallez de Charapede, Souvenir d'un Ami, and Louise Thenard; but the prize for the best rose was awarded to M. Fontaine's Triomphe du Comte de Montigo. The DES NONES AND BUERRE CHARRON. Des Nones and Beurre Charron. DR. JOHN A. WARDER.-Dear Sir: We observe by the May number of the Horticultural Review, that you introduced our notice of the Des Nones pear, which appeared originally in the Horticulturist. We are fully pursuaded that this pear is to become a general favorite, and to find a place in the very smallest collection. We fear, however, that it will be some years before it can be very extensively known; for, after much inquiry, we are led to believe that the stock of it, not only in this country but in Europe, is very limited. A recent letter from Mr. Leroy, of Angers, from whom we obtained it, informs us that he has no trees of this kind at present in his collection, "except one in his School of Fruits ;" and also that it has never fruited in his nursery, BUERRE CHARRON. 453 and that he owes his knowledge of its merit to our notice of it. We infer from this that it can not be much known in France; and as we had the pleasure of introducing it to the American public, through the New York and Ohio State Fairs, we suppose also, that it can not be much, if at all, known here. Our trees are now well covered with blossoms, showing it to be a prolific bearer, and promising again, in due time, a farther test of its qualities. From among the notes taken of a large number of pears which ripened upon our grounds during the last season, we select those upon another variety, which came to us also, unheralded and unknown, very much after the manner of the Des Nones. The only catalogue in which we have observed it is that of Mr. Leroy, where it is en tered under the head of "new species obtained at Angers," but without any description whatever, though all others of the list of about twenty, except cne or two, are particularly described. This pear is called the Buerre Charron, and was received by us in the same importation which brought us the Des Nones. We send an outline of it, together with our description, which are at your service, if deemed worthy of publication. Fruit medium in size; form roundish obolate; skin yellowish green; stalk half an inch long, set on without depression; calyx closed, and placed in a deep and rather broad basin; flesh exceedingly. melting, juicy and perfumed-more like the Belle Lucrative in its highest excellence, in these particulars, than any pear we know. It ripens about the 10th of October. DES NONES. Orange Gardens of St. Michael's. THE orange gardens of St. Michael, the largest of the Azores islands, Lat. 39° north, Lon. 20° west, about. Without its orange gardens, St. Michael's would be but one great field of corn. To prevent the violent winds from breaking the orange trees when loaded with their fruit, it is found to be indispensable to have thick tufted trees of a rapid growth all around and inside also, of the quintas, as the Portuguese call these orange gardens. They use for that purpose the Myrica Faya, the camphor, the Pittosporum Undulatum, and Pittosporum Tobira. This, Backhouse says, has a green cylindrical fruit, becoming of an amber color when ripe, and of a pleasant subacid taste. Each of these trees offer to the eye its own ap When our notice of the Des Nones was written, it had not matured on our grounds. Though quite unlike in flavor, it would be very difficult to determine which of the two is superior in quality. Without meditating a pun, we should pronounce them, with our brief experience of one season only, "par nobile fratrum." In productiveness, however, in fairness and beauty of the fruit, and in the superior growth of the tree, we must, at present, give the preference to the Des Nones. Eaten September 20th in best condition; possesses all the peculiar musky flavor of the Seekel; is sweet, aromatic, juicy, buttery, and high-flavored. Ripens from the 10th to last of September. Description in your journal is right; I think we have no superior pear in the United States. We are very respectfully, etc., THORP, SMITH, HANCHETT & Co. The information respecting the scarcity of this pear is much to be regretted, as every one will desire to be possessed of this delicious variety, but I wish it to be distinctly understood that my order for twenty trees is to take precedence of all others, having made the discovery of the excellence of the variety. propriate color and being (as they are) distributed over the country without order, they give to the landscape an inexpressible charm. To possess a quinta, is a supreme object of ambition to every inhabitant of St. Michael's. He rises early in the morning, goes to bed late, feeds on corn bread, drinks nothing but water during his long life; all he aims at, is to have his quinta some day or other. Most of the quintas have pavilions, and shady, delicious walks. These pavilions vary in form and dimensions, according to the taste of the owners, each of whom is his own architect, and we may well say that they display a truly great diversity of taste. But they all agree in one thing, and that is, a tower with a flag-staff. The Portuguese first introduced the orange here, and it is cultivated in every trunk at its base about eight feet in circumisland, and is an object of commercial im- ference. The quantity of fruit from such a portance to Portugal. The Fayal orange tree is incredible-they are constantly shortrees were attacked by an insect, a coccus, ing up the loaded branches to prevent their (bark louse,) to such a destructive degree breaking down. One tree, belonging to that the culture of the tree was rendered Senor Jacintho Victor Vierva, gives annuimpossible. No method was found to save ally twenty large boxes, each containing them, and all the trees were destroyed. upwards of one thousand oranges. -Revue Horticole. Upland Cranberries. The island of Terceira exported annually from twenty to thirty thousand cargoes of oranges. St. Michael's is now the grand market, but unhappily the coccus has begun there, and some plantations are entirely Ar length we have ocular proof of the ruined already. Many people suppose that fact, that cranberries in the greatest perfec. the St. Michael's orange grows there spon- tion, can be raised on upland, shady and taneously, yielding its fruit without any gravelly soil. Mr. Joseph Orcutt has care; that is an error. Before establishing brought us for exhibition, a large root of an orange garden, a high wall must be cranberry-vine, placed in a box, which is built, and then rows of the Pittosporum, to made to contain a quantity of the soil from break the violence of the winds. When which it had been removed, the vine thickly these are grown, the ground is well dug up. hanging with ripe fruit. He made the exThe orange trees, planted in rows at the periment three years ago last May, planting distance of 25 to 30 feet every way from forty bunches in a row two feet apart, withcach. They then sow the ground with lu- out previous culture, merely by removing pins, which, when grown, they bury in the the sod, and planting the cranberries with soil, for the Portuguese regard it as the best no more trouble and attention than he would nourishment they can give to the roots of have taken with a cabbage-plant. the orange tree. For some years they grow beans, melons, and some other plants in the space among the trees. The orange tree does not come to full bearing until seven years old. Poor owners of orange gardens cultivate the earth in them always, but able owners leave culture in them after seven years. They trim the trees to get free circulation of air when the fruit is ripe. They flower in March and April, and the oranges are ripe in November. The Portuguese never eat them until about the end of January, at which time the fruit is in all its perfection. These gardens vary in extent from forty to eighty acres but it is seldom that they contain oranges only-they have lemons, limes, citron guava, and other fruit trees. They cultivate only two kinds of oranges, the Portuguese and the Mandarin. The first has some varieties; it is singularly ameliorated in the island of St. Michael's. The Mandarin orange has only been here a few years. Some of the trees are nearly fifteen feet high. This excellent little orange has lately been exported to England, and obtains a much higher price than the common St. Michael's orange. The largest orange tree I have measured here was over thirty feet high, the The soil is a sandy gravel, fit for peach trees, and of which five hundred and twentythree are growing in an orchard so near as to shed their leaves on the cranberry vines. The first year he picked about a pint of fruit, the second year, four quarts; the third, or present year, from seven to eight quarts of remarkably fine fruit. The vines have shot the present season, three feet six inches in length, are surprisingly strong and healthy, and the old wood is loaded thickly with the finest berries. We now consider the question, • Can cranberries be cultivated with success on upland?' as decided in the affirmative.Boston Cultivator. Wearing out of the varieties of Fruits. MR. EDITOR-I have always disbelieved the ingeniously supported theory of Mr. Knight, on the natural degeneracy of varieties not renewed by seeds, from having seen trees of the Golden Pippin apple, which was one of the varieties instanced, thriving remarkably well, and bearing good crops of fruit. They were growing in a very stony soil, and in a warm situation; and I incline |