- rying pollen from the St. Peter's, or other be protected by their very neglect; the foreign vine in the house. Reasons: In drifting leaves and snow would be all-suffithe length and appearance of the bunch, it cient. The tenderest roses often escape a resembles the St. Peter's. Though the ber- severe winter under similar circumstances. ries were immature and sour in September; But there is one other observation worthy the whole aspect of the fruit was foreign. of note, before we hastily adopt the theory With regard to the hardiness assumed for that this is a hardy variety :-Several other the plants, without doubting the Doctor's foreign sorts have grown and borne well for veracity, let us reflect upon the conditions a few years, and then disappeared. The to which they were submitted. The soil Doctor has acted wisely in retaining the was not prepared, "nor have they received stock in his own hands; he does not desire the least attention by cultivation." Thus any one to be humbugged until the matter "growing wild," they were not forced into is tested. soft wood; but hardened as they progressed, and lying probably on the ground they would munication. Excuse the prolixity of this first com direction of the poles by a fixed ratio; yet by reason of the difference in radiative force between water and land, and of other causes, the lines which constitute the boundaries of climates are not parallels to the equator, and, if the line which marks any given degree of mean temperature upon the water be extended in the direction of land, it will, on striking it, show a rise in the mercury greater by day, and a fall as much lower by night, than upon the water; and this difference in the diurnal range of the thermometer increases as the line extends inward upon the land until we pass the point to which the modifying influence of the water reaches. Hence it follows that all vast districts of country, like the valley of the Mississippi, REPORT FROM KENTUCKY. have riveted upon them by the action of fixed laws, those features of a climate which are termed fickle, great diurnal ranges of the mercury, and great and sudden changes of temperature in the seasons. 157 evidently occurred at this time. Whether in this case there was present the condition of a wet soil to aggravate the force of cold, or such a conformation of the earth as to generate a more intense degree of cold than elsewhere, the committee are unable to say. In regard to the effects of the spring upon vegetable life, proofs are more numerous and far less equivocal. On the 18th of March, the fruit crop, except peaches, was fast coming forward; apricots had partially bloomed; some apples and pears had in their fruit buds made considerable development, leaves being formed; the blossom buds of the plum were very vigorous and healthy, and the latest had swollen till the In studying such a climate, the proper inquiry for the pomologist is this-Does disaster follow the action of those periods of intense cold which occur only occasionally in a series of years? or does it result from those sudden blasts of hyperborean cold, which. in such a climate, follow not unfrequently after vegetable life has been excited by genial warmth into a state of growth more or less active. After some personal investigation upon this subject, and the collation of many communicated facts, the committee coiled petals were visible. At this time the are strongly inclined to believe that although thermometer sank to thirteen degrees above intense cold of long duration may sometimes zero, a temperature thirty-one degrees destroy even the life of a tree by rupture of warmer than that of January; yet the harm its tissues from the expansive force of con- resulting from the temperature at thirteen gelation, yet far the greater number of in- above zero has been tenfold greater, the juries experienced by the cultivator, either committee think, than that which was caused in health of his trees or in the thrift of his in January by eighteen below. Bolmar's crops, are traceable to the agency of com- Washington and Duane's Purple plums in paratively moderate cold brought to bear some places, although swelling to bloom, upon vegetable life in a state highly suscep- were so effectually killed as to show no more tible of harm by reason of the presence of signs of growth; many varieties of the plum fluids in a state of circulation, or of fluids on the same grounds bloomed, but cast their upon the surface of the leaves and branches, fruit; some pears and apples had every or of fluids in a state of saturation in the fruit and wood bud killed so as to slough soil containing the roots. In confirmation of off, the same trees afterward pushing forth this opinion, they refer to the following facts, adventitious buds and making a new coat of viz: the winter just passed has been one of leaves. The hardy willow which had remarked severity in the West, and the char- mained unhurt after the zero spell in Janacter of the past spring, too, was distin- uary, and was pushing into leaf even to the guished by some of the most peculiar fea- points of the branches in March, lost in tures of a changeable climate, affording some places every wood bud in the system, thus a good opportunity for a comparison of together with the extremities of the branches. the destructive force of intense cold and that for full six feet in from the points. As for of unseasonable cold. The committee find it difficult to refer some casualties reported to this cause of harm, whilst in regard to others there seems not a shade of doubt in fixing upon the destroying agency. Thus one gentleman had a large peach orchard which in the spring he found dead, each tree alive in its roots and for a space up the trunk, about as high as the surface of the snow at the time the mercury went to eighteen degrees below zero. This destruction would seem like the work of intense cold, but many other orchards stood the same degree of cold, receiving but little injury other than the loss of the crop, which Heart Cherries, although almost ready to bloom, they were literally swept out of existence; one gentleman with an orchard containing sixteen varieties, had only the Ox Heart and two other sorts left, while, as if to prove there was no security in sorts, a neighbor lost all his Ox Hearts at the same time. Again; on the 1st of May, 1851, the fruit crop from the lakes, as far south as we have heard, was one of the most abundant and most promising ever looked upon. At this time a fall of the mercury to a temperature ranging from 20 to 26 degrees, carried off the whole fruit crop, except in a few places peculiarly located, where we believe local causes always exist, capable of preventing theory on this subject, the committee refer this wide range of the thermometer, unless in very rare cases, when (as Dr. Kirtland has said in one of the best articles on this subject which has yet been printed) the general cold prevails over the local warmth, as was the case in January last, when the mercury could not rise on the noon of a bright sunny day. Such favored situations, the committee believe, are found in belts of land around bays and lakes, on small islands, and upon elevated points. Elevation. Elevation, like northing or southing from the equator, diminishes temperature, and by the same book authority already quoted (Encyclopedia Britannica) at a point under the equator, where the mean temperature is 84 degrees, by ascending some 6,000 yards one reaches the point of perpetual congelation, or the mean annual temperature is one degree lower for each 400 feet of ascent; the decrease in this case also progressing by a fixed ratio. An elevation of four hundred feet, according to Loudon, will retard the season of vegetation three or four days, and is therefore from this cause favorable to fruit culture, inasmuch as during this delay the season is advancing to settled warmth. But in cases like that of May, 1851, where vegetation had made such advances that no difference seemed to exist between the foliage of the hights and that upon the plains, a different and far more powerful cause is required to work that salvation of the fruit crop upon the hills, which was no where else witnessed in the West, except upon belts of land around the lakes, and those belts very narrow, observes an eye-witness, the very respectable editor of the Western Horticultural Review.* What this more powerful force may be, remains to be settled. The committee, however, deem it a matter of no small moment, in a climate where fruit culture is uncertain, to establish it as a truth, that hills at a certain elevation enjoy a climate where the thermometer never rises so high by day as upon the plains below, and yet never sinks so low at night, that they possess a climate nearly as uniform as countries surrounded by water and as nearly as well suited to fruit culture. For a plausible See Editorial Letter, p. 582. Gallup's nursery is scarcely within the charmed bounds of Lake influences. to an article which appeared last year in the columns of the Louisville Journal, from the pen of a member of this committee. The author supposes this universal agency to be that volume of the atmosphere which is daily heated by conduction from being in contact with the earth's surface, and that this volume of air, like other heated masses, giving out its caloric mainly from the surface in contact with the earth, may and does, at an elevation of some hundred feet, maintain a large portion of its heat when no wind blows to mingle it with other strata, during a whole night and until the sun's action again re plenishes the stock. Aspect.-Aspect, the committee consider in this climate of little importance, except that a southern one aggravates the evils of a fickle climate by increasing the power of the sun; and one which shuts out the noontide sun, on the other hand, modifies the temperature, and thereby betters the climate. In conclusion, the committee remark that they feel assured that every pomologist entering upon the business of fruit culture in a climate like that of the West, ought to consider himself engaged in an employment rendered uncertain by the action of natural causes, and that this uncertainty can be nowhere escaped, except in the few favored positions protected by "local warmth," such as the margins of large bodies of water, the summits of hills, or points sheltered from cold winds. Moreover, they are constrained to think that it is hoping against hope to expect success in efforts to cultivate any of the tender fruit trees, which die after losing the young shoots and their system of leaves under action of those spring frosts spoken of under the head of climate, such as the Heart Cherry, English Walnut, etc., unless in cities or at some point not having too wide a range for the mercury. AMERICAN POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 159 farming in older countries, had purchased Rostiezer, Seckel, Tyson, Urbaniste, Uvelarge tracts of good land, cultivated it in dale's St. Germain for baking, Vicar of rather a slovenly manner, taking the cream Winkfield, Williams' Boncretien or Bartlett, off the land and selling the products lower Winter Nelis. And for particular localithan those could afford to, who maintained. ties, Grey Doyenne, White Doyenne. the fertility of their land by manure. Apricots Breda, Large Early, Moorpark. Nectarines Downton, Early Violet, Elruge. This can not last; and although hauling manure to any distance, except in the vicinity of large towns, or other high markets, Peaches: Bergen's Yellow, Cooledge's does not as yet pay, yet in the older part of Favorite, Crawford's Late, Early York, serthe state, the farmers found it most profita-rated, Large Early York, George the IVth, ble even on soils originally the best, to re- Grosse Mignonne, Morris' White, Old Mixon sort to clover and other green manures. Free. And for particular localities, Heath This he hoped would be generally resorted Cling. to before it be too late, so that Ohio lands may maintain their high character. Two suggestions more he would make as appropriate to the season. The first, to those of his brother farmers who wished to plant fruit or ornamental trees. Mr. W. had found it best to dig the holes for the trees in the fall, about eighteen inches deep, and three to six feet wide, as the size of the tree may require, and thus expose the earth to the action of the frost and rain and air during the whole winter, planting the tree as early in the spring as the weather will admit. This plan Mr. W. had found not only to secure almost a certainty of their growing, but also to produce a growth of the most healthy and robust character. Fruit Lists. FRUITS WORTHY OF GENERAL CULTIVATION. Apples: American Summer Pearmain, Baldwin, Bullock's Pippin, Danvers Winter Sweet, Early Harvest, Early Strawberry, Fall Pippin, Fameuse, Gravenstein, Hubbardston Nonsuch, Large Yellow Bough, Lady Apple, Porter, Red Astrachan, Rhode Island Greening, Roxbury Russet, Summer Rose, Swaar, Vandervere, White Seek-nofurther, Wine Apple, or Hays, Winesap. And for particular localities, Canada Red, Esopus Spitzenberg, Newtown Pippin, Northern Spy, Yellow Bellefleur. Pears: Ananas d'Ete, Andrews, Belle Lucrative or Fondante d'Automne, Beurre d'Anjou, Beurre d'Aremberg, Beurre Bosc, Bloodgood, Buffum, Dearborn's Seedling, Doyenne d'Ete, Flemish Beauty, Fulton, Golden Beurre of Bilboa, Louise Bonne de Jersey, Madeleine, Paradise d'Automne, Plums: Bleecker's Gage, Coe's Golden Drop, Frost Gage, Green Gage, Jefferson, Lawrence's Favorite, Purple Gage, Purple Favorite, Washington. And for particular localities, Imperial Gage. Cherries: Belle Magnifique, Black Eagle, Black Tartarian, Downer's Late, Downton, Elton, Early Richmond, for cooking, Graffion or Bigarreau, Knight's Early Black, May Duke. Grapes (Under glass,) Black Hamburg, Black Prince, Black Fontignan, Chasselas de Fontainebleau, Grizzly Frontignan, White Frontignan, White Muscat of Alexandria. (Open culture,) Catawba, Isabella. Raspberries: Fastolf, Franconia, Red Antwerp, Yellow Antwerp. Strawberries: Boston Pine, Hovey's Seedling, Jenney's Seedling, Large Early Scarlet. Currants: Black Naples, May's Victoria, Red Dutch, White Dutch, White Grape. Gooseberries Crown Bob, Early Sulphur, Green Gage, Green Walnut, Houghton's Seedling, Iron-monger, Laurel, Red Champagne, Warrington, Woodward's White Smith. NEW VARIETIES WHICH PROMISE WELL. Apples Autumn Bough, Hawley, Melon, Mother, Northern Spy, Smoke-house. Pears Brandywine, Brande's St. Germain, Beurre Giffard, Chancelor, Doyenne Boussock, Doyenne Goubault, Duchesse d'Orleans, Duchesse de Berri, Diller, Jalousie de Fontenay Vendee, Kirtland, Limon, Manning's Elizabeth, Nouveau Poiteau, Onondaga, Ott, Pratt, Paradise d'Automne, St. Michel d'Archange, Stevens' Geresee, Van Assene, Striped Madeleine. Plums: McLaughlin, Prince's Yellow Gage, Rivers' Favorite, St. Martin's Quetche. Cherries: Bigarreau Monstreuse de Bavay, Early Purple Guigne, Reine Hortense. Grapes: Diana. Raspberries: Knevett's Giant. REJECTED FRUITS. Bergamotte, Souveraine, (de Printems?) Swan's Egg, St. Bruno, Sans Pepins, Surpasse Meuris, Summer Rose, Thompson of New Hampshire, Tucker's Seedling, Trubcherdy Dulle, True Gold of Summer, Whitfield, Winter Orange, Wurzer d'Automne, Winter Crassane, Yat. State Fruit Committees. CHAIRMEN. Apples Beachemwell, Cheeseboro' Rus- Joshua Pierce, Rt. Rev. S. Elliott, Jr., Col. Henry Little, Stephen H. Smith, William Reid, George Gabriel, William Summer, R. Buchanan, General Ch'mn, Boston. D. of Columbia, Washing'n Alabama, Columbus, Ga. Kentucky, Louisville. Pears Admiral, Aston Town, Angers, Autumn Bergamot, Alexander of Russia, Ah! Mon Dieu, Bon Chretien (Spanish,) Bon Chretien (Brussells,) Bergamotte Sylvange, Bergamotte Fortunee, Beauty of Winter, Belmont, Beurre d'Angleterre, Beurre Seutin, Beurre of Bolwiller, Beurre Knox, Bezi Vaet, Bruno de Bosco, Blanquet a Longue Queue, Burgomaster, Bleecker's Meadow, Citron of Bohemia, Cuvelier, Chat Brule, Chair a Dame, Charles Van Mons (Old,) Cassolette, Compte de Fresnel, Copea, Caillot Rosat, Clara, Clinton, Clapp, Citron de Sierenz, Croft Castle, Crassane, Dearborn of Van Mons, Downton, Duquesne d' Ete, Doyenne Mons, Deschamp's New Late, Dumbarton, Doyenne Dore, D'Amour, Elton, Endicott, Famenga, Frederick of Prussia, Forme Urbaniste, Fantasie Van Mons, Forme des Delices, French Iron, Franc Real d'Hiver, Green Yair, Grise Bonne, Garnstone, Green Catherine, Green Sugar, Gros Blanquet, Green Chisel, Hays, Hawthorne's Seedling, Horticulture, Hastiveau, Hessell, Huguenot, Ipswich Holland, Jargonelle (of the French,) Kramelsbirne, Lederbirne, Louise Bonne, Lansac, Lincoln, Louis of Bologne, Madotte, Madame Vert, Miller's Seedling, Marquise, Marcellis, Michaux, Navet, Orange, Orange Tulipee, Petit Muscat, Princess of Orange, Platt's Bergamotte, Passe Long Bras, Prince's Portugal, Pope's Scarlet Major, Phillips, Pitfour, Pitt's Marie Louise, Rousselet de Rheims, No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, indicating fair, poor, Rousselet St. Vincent, Royale d'Hiver, Swiss bad. The chairmen here appointed, have power to make up their committees, and will report in 1854. Grading Fruits. THE members of the Central Horticultural Society, Rouen, France, have decided, at their session March 27, 1852, that they would be governed in classifying fruits by this simple scale :-Good, 1st quality; Medium, 2d quality; Bad, 3d quality. Others prefer two or three grades in each class, thus :-A, No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, for excellent, very good, and good; and B, |