W. P. P., Illinois. How far apart shall I plant pear-trees in my orchard? and shall I intermix dwarfs and standards in the same rows?-We should recommend planting standard pear-trees about twenty feet apart each way: some plant fifteen by twenty feet. We think it a poor plan to plant dwarfs in the same row with standards. We believe it better to plant dwarfs by themselves, and standards by themselves. We have alternated with standards and dwarfs, but should not do it again. There is a diversity of opinion on this subject among the best orchardists in the vicinity of Boston. We have given information on this subject in the January number of the Journal. B. T., Home Farm, Iọ. — I do not see the name of the Montgomery grape described by your Newburgh (N.Y.) correspondent in any of the catalogues at hand. Is there any other name for it? Who has it for sale? We know no more about it than we have published, except we have seen a photograph of a noble bunch of this grape. Will Dr. Royce have the kindness to answer the questions asked by our correspondent? A. J. — In planting a hundred standard pear-trees to raise fruit for the market, what varieties shall I plant? and what number of each of the varieties? It is somewhat difficult to say, without knowing the location, soil, and other facts; but our own experience leads us to give the following list, by adopting which you cannot go far astray, thirty Bartlett, twenty Beurré d'Anjou, twenty Sheldon, twenty Swan's Orange, ten Lawrence. We give a small list; for we believe more money can be made where but few varieties are planted. If a hundred trees were to be planted for home-use, we should give a list of at least twenty varieties. PYRUS, Sandwich, Mass. I was unable to manure my pear-orchard last autumn. Had I better do it now, or wait and plough the manure under in the spring? We like to manure in the fall, and either spread and plough it in at once, or put it in heaps around the trees, and then, in the spring, spread it, and plough. We should advise you to put it about the trees now, and in the spring treat it as though it had been put on earlier. MARKET-GARDENER. From all you know of the Keyes Prolific Tomato, would you advise me to raise that variety next season? I had a few plants last season, but was not very well satisfied with them. - Yes: continue to raise it, and select the earliest and best fruit each year for seed, and you will be pleased with it. There is, perhaps, no better very early tomato; though it is not so early as some declare it to be. It is quite prolific. J. C., Geneva, N.Y. — Can I plant a strawberry that will pay me better for market-purposes than the Wilson ?- No: though not of first quality, it will sell. It is undoubtedly the greatest bearer of them all. B. T. writes us that the grapes best suited to the latitude and climate of Iowa are Concord, Hartford Prolific, and Catawba. I NOTICE your remarks on this fruit, in your article on "The Profitableness of Fruit-culture," in the January number of the Journal; and if, as is there surmised, many are kept from planting it because of the supposed necessity of "covering the canes in winter," it is certainly time their views were corrected, and that noble fruit placed where it justly belongs, among the truly hardy fruits of our land. I am very ready to acknowledge, that, like wheat, corn, apples, strawberries, and, in fact, every thing that grows out of the ground, it will "produce the best results" if it has just the right soil, location, protection, and cultivation; but I also insist, that, in an equal degree with the hardiest of our fruits, the raspberry possesses the vigor and strength to endure our Northern winters. Here, where the Lawton Blackberry is almost invariably injured, we meet with success in its cultivation : it has become such a favorite, on account of its profitableness, that we permit it to occupy one-half of our ground. The varieties thus far fruited by us are the Doolittle and Miami Blackcaps, Purple-cane, Kirtland, Philadelphia, Golden-cap, Ohio Ever-bearing, and Catawissa, all of which prove hardy and desirable. The last two are VOL. III. 17 129 mainly valuable for their fall crop, which is produced on wood of the same year's growth; and though this same wood will bear a fair crop the next summer, yet, as we have superior summer varieties, it is better to cut all the wood off close to the ground as soon as frost has killed the fruit, and thus save the strength of the root to grow wood for the next fall's crop. The fall-bearing raspberries are particularly valuable, as they succeed well nearly all over that large portion of our land where the peach does not; and, as the fruit matures at a time when rains are frequent, the yield is generally abundant. The color of the Ohio is black, and the Catawissa red; and though both come at about the same time, yet we would not like to spare either from our collection. The Golden-cap is one of our choicest fruits: the plant is a strong grower, very hardy, fruit good size, a bright golden color, very firm, and peculiarly sweet and juicy. There is a variety, however, that resembles this in appearance both of fruit and bush; but it is bitter and worthless. Care should be taken to get plants from, or that can be traced to, bearing bushes. Kirtland: a red berry, quite attractive in appearance, pleasant, though not sprightly in flavor; and though not as heavy a bearer as some, yet it makes up for it in season, being earlier than any of the others. Purple-cane: an old, well-known sort; bush large, and very vigorous; a heavy bearer; fruit red, changing to purple when fully ripe; excellent flavor, but too soft for long carriage to market. Doolittle Black-cap: also well known; an excellent family variety, and stands high among market-gardeners. Miami Black-cap is probably without a rival as a family and market berry. The bush is very healthy and vigorous, and perfectly hardy; fruit larger than the Doolittle, very firm, and possesses a delicious sweetness, that makes it the choice of most persons over any of the other sorts, except, perhaps, the Golden-cap, the flavor of which is equally desirable with many. Philadelphia : this justly-famed variety fruited with us in great perfection the past season: it is perfectly hardy here, and an enormous bearer. During the best week of its season, it will probably yield more fruit than any of the other varieties; but, as the Miami has a much longer season, it will, I think, produce quite as much fruit. The Philadelphia is inferior in flavor, and, as it is quite soft, will not bear carriage. We prefer to cultivate in rows five to six feet apart each way, and advocate generous culture both in the use of manure and labor; though, if the former is difficult to get, the latter, if properly applied, will go far towards making up the deficiency. Of the varieties named, all but two, the Kirtland and Philadelphia, propagate from the tip; and, as layering commences the latter part of August, there cannot be much cultivation done after that time. But the tips will be sufficiently rooted to take up a little before time for winter to set in (if not needed for use, they may be heeled in, and kept in perfect condition till spring), the bush shortened in at both top and sides thoroughly, and the spaces between the rows ploughed up with a one-horse plough, throwing the furrows to the rows, ridging them up as much as possible, and finishing with a back furrow in the centre. This tends to protect the roots in winter, prevents injury by standing-water, is a support to the canes in spring, and the best and cheapest mulch that can possibly be obtained for the plant during fruiting. As the new growth advances, it should be checked at about three feet, which will cause it to branch, and form a strong, sturdy bush, that will support itself without the aid of stakes. After fruiting, the spaces between the rows should be again ploughed, but the furrows turned to the centre, and away from the rows: this levels the ground; and, by using the cultivator both ways afterwards, only a little handwork around the hill will be necessary. Of course, the ploughing need be done but one way; and the writer has, by absolute experiment, seen the yield of fruit doubled. If it is not convenient to do the work in fall, it will probably be nearly or quite as beneficial if done in spring, as far as the benefit to be derived from stirring the soil and the mulch is concerned; and should by all means be done. Aside from this special ploughing, the frequent use of the cultivator during the summer is of the highest importance : in fact, so highly do we esteem it, that we are almost ready to say it is the one thing necessary to success: and we would advise those about planting raspberries to set them in such a way that they can get all around them on every side with a horse, and then get there often. Thus do we believe that the raspberry can be produced profitably, abundantly, and universally; and therefore is valuable in and of itself, and not merely for the purpose of “keeping up a succession of fruit:" and we hope to see the time when it and other fruits, large and small, will be so extensively cultivated as to become the cheapest, as it will be the best, diet for all; when the poorest man may "put forth his hand, and pluck and eat of what is most emphatically the tree of life" to him and all mankind. SOUTH BEND, Ind. Johnston. |