Middletown transcript., 1876-05-06
Agritnltural.
Written for the TRANscRrPr by one of the
most experienced farmers, gardeners and
ruit growers in the United States.
PEAR CULTURE.


most experienced farmers, gardeners and
ruit growers in the United States.
PEAR CULTURE.
At the last meeting Of the Western
New York Fruit Growers Association
it was stated that one orchard of 1900
dwarf pear trees existed in the vicinity.
all in perfect health-tbat among the
sorts that had generally done best were
Bartlett, ManniDg's Elizabeth, Duchess
dADgouleme, Lawrence, Seckle and
early Catharine. These varieties, prob
ably, are all good for any section Of the
country. Duchess, as it is usually
called, is the best late pear that exists.
but it is rather too late for our extreme
Northern States. 1t is Of immense size
and very delicious. No one can make
a mistake in growing Bartletts, the best
variety for all climates that is known !;
but it does best as standard. The
most productive dwarf variety was said.
at the above meeting, to be the Louise
Bonne de Jersey, which is true. Owing
to the hundreds Of choice varieties OF
pears that exist, one is liable to be con-
fused, and not know which to purchase,
bnt it is best to grow but few kinds
For mild climates, the three best are
Duchess, Louise Bonne dc Jersey Gas
dwarfs) and the Bartlett as standard;
and in the Northern States merely sub
stitute Flemish Beauty for Duchess.
DEEP FLOWING.
It often happens that some theoreti-
cal writer recommends deep blowing.
without stating the whole case and
sometimes farmers injure their lands, by
following the advice of these writer's,
some of whom never plowed rod Of
land in their lives but as they are
often admitted to the columns of re-
spectacle agricultural papers. whose
editors are not practical farmers. their
subscribers are sometimes inclined to
follow their instructions, if not well
posted in the matter, and often TO the
injury Of their lands. It is sheer in
sanity, SO to speak, for farmer to plow
his land foot deep, where it has but
three or four inches of fertile surface
soil, as the good soil is buried under
mass Of subsoil that is as barren as the
sea shore. The pith of.tbe whole mat
ter lies just here-never plow over two
inches deeper at time than your fer
tile surface soil extends. Then if you
put on little manure, and can get
good .catch" Of red clover upon it, to
be turned uIder the second or third
year, plowing two inches deeper than
before; and if you keep up this system
Of turning under crop Of clover occa-
sionally, the second crop Of the season.
(saving the first for hay), rolling il
down fiat after rain, SO as to be cover
ed we'll, you can in few years obtain
a soil eight or twelve inches deep, where
but three or four inches before existed.
CHOICE APPLES.
The old Baldwin and Rhode Island
Greening stand at the head Of the list
yet among the hundreds Of new varie-
ties, as fine winter apples; and for
sweet sort Tolman's SweetiDg cannot
be surpassed as a cooking variety. As
good autumn varieties, the Duchess Of
Oldenburg, Fall Pippin, Gravenstein,
Maiden's Blush, Jersey Sweet and
Porter are among the best Good sum
mer varieties are red Astrachan, Early
Bough (sweet), Early Strawberry,
Golden Sweeting and Red June, fine
variety for the Middle and Southern
States. It is not always safe to pur-
chase choice vaieties Of apple trees for
a localized. till it has been ascertained
whether they do well or not in or about
that latitude as it is quite too import
ant matter to set trees for the use Of
future generations, and not have evi-
denee Of their being adapted to your
climate.
GOOD Potato.
I advise farmers to be wary as re-
CARDS the alleged good qualities Of the
many new varieties Of potatoes that
exist. Don't buy many. only pound
or half peck, at first to try them,
unless you know what they are, as there
may be expected hereafter great deal
Of humbugging in these new varieties
But I think the Snowflake potato one
Of the very best Of all the new varie-
ties, yet it may not grow well in all
localities.