The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-08-26

Old bearing trees do not need much cut.
ting back, and hence the orchard gets
little pruning in t'cse latter days, though
thinning out is often necessary. Prun-
ing that H. cutting back to give form
and character to the tree---must be prac-
liced in the early years Of its life. This
course causes the fruit to be produced,
not at the extremities. where the wind
will easily whip it off, or where the
weight will give disfigurine curves to the
limbs through all their lives but Instead,
on spurs thrown out from strong and
stocky branches capable of supporting
heavy weight without much bending, and
not readily swayed by every little breeze.
The grounds about Col. Wilder's home-
stead embrace some twelve acres. Wag.
on paths, used only for orchard purposes
divide the premises into rectangular
blocks The grass grows beside the horse
paths and wheel ruts, and to within per-
haps four feet of the trees, but beyond
that distance, and everywhere within the
blocks, they are kept free from vegetation.
Some trees Is or 20 feet high are grated
or rc.gralted on or among the upper
limbs, some on side limbs, and some have
nearly their whole tops sacrificed AS a
whole the visitor will find 4 less amount
Of pear wood than he would naturally
expect in an orchard which has been forty
years in growing, first, because as the
trees stand close together spreading tops
are inadmissible second, because they
were pruned thoroughly when young, and
in connection with judcious summer
pinching are now more inclined to fruit
funess than to wood growth, the fruit
being as already intimated, borne on
spurs. About onc.half the orchard was
originally planted with dwarfs, alternat-
ing with standards, out large part of
these are now standards, having rooted
from above the junction with the ounce.
This will generally occur within ten years
after planting if the junction is put four
or six inches below the surface. Some
few sorts do not root readily from the
pear stock-the Louise Bonnie for in.
stance and the Duchesse is rather shy.
The variety which Prest. Wilder grows
most extensively is the Beurre d'Anjou.
OF this he has about 400 trees, and says
he feels just prido in having introduced
it to culture some thirty years ago, and
in every year seeing its popularity ex-
tending throughout the United States. 1t
is especially valuable as a market fruit.
being of good quality and size. and keep.
ing well into the winter. The price
usually opens at So per bushel in Octo.
Der, and by Christmas advances to So
and SO, these prices of course being tor
first class fruit, grown on trees properly
thinned and cared for. He also grows
largely of the Doyenne Boussock, Buff.
fun and Merriam, each being favorites
in the Boston market. On one of his
Buffum standards NOW about one foot in
diameter of trunk, and one Of the largest
trees of the orchard) he one season grew
t,centy.tco bushels of fruit. The Uuban.
iste also does well, and he has this varie.
ty, 20 years old, on the ounce. Other
sorts which he specially commends are
the Howell, Paradise d'Automne, Con.
SELLER de la Cour ia fine late pearl and
the Vicar, Mount Vernon is promising
and prolific. He grows largely Of the
Vicar, and finds it profitable, 50 per bar.
rel being a not uncommon average for
fine fruit. But to be fine it mast be
thinned out, and then those reserved for
winter keeping which have 6ro,cn cheeks !;
this color changes to crimson in winter.
when they become excellent eating. They
keep well, even into April-hc had them
up to April 18th this year on his table
for breakfast, and succeeded equally well
in other years. As baking pear the
Vicar has no superior.
Winter pears are kept in the cellar of
his fruit house, which has dry cement.
ed floor. No ice is used for cooling it.
The fruit is picked in square market box.
es, holding about bushel each, and
placed in the cellar one above the other,
with Stats at the corners SO that the box.
es will not press upon the fruit, and will
admit circulation of air between them.
On cold October nights, the windows are
opened for the admission of cold air,
closed at daylight, and kept closed until
another cold night ensues. If carried
successfully through October in this way,
there is no more difficulty about con.
trolling the temperature and he keeps
winter pears, both for market and for
home use, with the results already given.
Mr.. wILDER's cAMELLIAs.
The camellia 'among flowers is what
the pear is among fruits for President
Wilder-one of his pets. 1t is almost
useless to say that he has some that are
remarkable for size, age and beauty, be.
ing 10 feet 10 height, s inches in diane.
ter Of stems, aud heads spreading out II
feet. Some Of these are over fifty years
old, aud have been in Mr.. VS. possession
forty years Of that time. Among these
are three very large double whites. He
has the original Camellia Floui raised
in New York City from seed, by Michael
Floy, in a greenhouse near below what
is now Union Square, and grown there
when there was scarcely brick house in
sight above it; and for this he paid $3.50
in 1887. This specimen is remarkable
for its magnificent foliage. lie has also
grown large number Of seedlings by by.
brldlzation, among them large plants Of
Camell'a WilderH, Mrs. Abby Wilder
(for which Mr. w. received IN 1848 a
silver pitcher from the Massachusetts
horticultural Society, valued at $780,
and these still maintain supremacy as fine
varieties at home and abroad. There
are also numerous other seedlings dedica.
ted to members of his family and person
al friends, and he is still producing seed
lings some Of them now in full growth
displaying large pods of seeds. His col
lection of azaeas, in tubs, native and for