The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-09-14

adequate conception of the value of the
cultivated grasses and forage plants, and
many are following on in the old, beaten
track, raising crops on poor lands, which
will not pay them one-half what grass
and stock would do. "More grass, more
stock; more stock, more manure and
more manure necessarily leads to i'm
proved lands which in turn lead to more
stock and more manure. Many farmers
IN Virginia even, to say nothing of more
Southern farmers, take up an idea they
cannot raise clover and the grasses and
forage plants, and do not even make the
effort. Let such farmers procure Mr.
Towards book and read it, and ten to
one they will change their minds and find
they have turned over new leaf in ag-
riculture and become in a measure grass
and stock raisers. We shall notice soon
this treatise at more length. In the mean
time we advise our readers to procure a
copy by addressing Mrs. G. w. Howard,
Dillon, Walker county, GA.
Pears.
We must confess to disappointment in
pear culture. The great drawback to its
success is bhght-the cause of, or the
remedy for, no one knows. We have
tried for three or four years the remedy
of Mr.. Saunders superintendent Expert
mental Gardens, Washington, viz, lime
and sulphur, advised under the idea of
the disease being fungus; but we have
lost more trees in the last twelve months
than ever before, many of them dying
entirely, while some are partially dead
and will probably recover. We think our
nurserymen have made great mistake
IN dlscarding so many of our old fruits
and introducing new and foreign varie-
ties, We had in old times some very
good pears. We remember two trees on
farm OF very good pear, which bore
so profusely that large family could not
consume them. The old "June" pear
was very good, but now it cannot be
found IN the nurseries or elsewhere. In
its place we have Doyenne d Etc, Dear
borns Seeding, and some others not as
good as the June pear. The first is very
liable to blight, and the last is a small,
very ordinary pear. In former times
blight was unknown, and there is little
doubt we have had introduced a great
many pears entirely unsuited to our eli
mate. The list now amounts to the as
tonlshlng number of about 5000. The
only remedy we know for blight is to
plant the hardy varieties, those little sub
lect to blight. We have mentioned some
of these previously, and may as well men
tion some OF them again, viz, Duchess
d Angouleme, Seckel, Bufum, Beurre
d Anjou and Lawrence. We have suffered
to the same degree probably in discard
ing our old tried varieties of apples and
taking up new ones. We see it recently
stated that Marshall P. Wilder, the great
pomologist, and who has paid particular
attention to pears, says if he was confined
to the cultivation of one pear, that should
be the Beurre d'Anjou 1t is certainly
noble pear, and one, as far as we have
seen, not much subject to blight.
Cuttings of Grapes.
A correspondent sends the following
questions:
Dear Sir,-Can you not tell the read
ers OF the Central hoaU, aohe7a, and qoheye
to plant the cuttings of grapes? Also.
what are the best kinds of grapes for
wine in Piedmont, Virginia? Is the Sa-
lem grape good wine grape? I read all
your Agricultural Column with much
pleasure. Very respectfully,
E. HART"
LIST. Trim grapes in the fall or during
mild weather in winter, or in spring be
fore the sap begins to fow-make cut
tings with three eyes, and bury them in
light land or in saw-dust-then in spring
when the buds begin to swell decidedly,
run furrow east and west with a plow.
place the cuttings in it, inclining the
lower end to the north, then cover with
a spade, trampling the. dirt firmly about
them, leaving out one eye near the sur
face. OF the ground. Damp land and land
looking north is the best to raise cuttings
on. If the summer should be dry, it is
well to mulch them with straw or trash
of some kind.
I'd. Norton Seeding is the best wine
grape for all Virginia. The Salem will
make fair wine, though it is not consid-
cred regular wine grape, and is not a
good bearer usually.
The Great Drought
still continues September 9TH through
the State with great destructiveness. Let
our farmers remember the advice given
IN late issue and act upon it. We must
hope for the best, while admitting things
look very gloomy, and try to believe that
whatever is, is right"