THE WISCONSIN FARMER



erect; leaves oval oblong; flowers white, with
long stamens, produced in pyramidal clusters,
on lateral shoots 6 or 8 inches long, on the en-
tiretlength on the previous season's growth.
June.
  SO5BIFOLIA-Sorb-Leaved Cluater.-Strong
grower, leaves, which it puts forth very early
in spring, like the mountain ash; flowers yel-
lowish white, produced in large, pyramidal
clusters in June.       A. G. IHANORD.
COLUMBUS, O.. Jan. 1863.


  Wheat, Fruit and Crops in Winnebago Co.
  HOYT & CAMPBELL:-Please find enclosed
five dollars, &c. *   *        *
  I did not feel able to take the FAoR mER for
1863, but it continued to come and I continued
to like it better and better, and I c.old not say
"stop! " for if there ever was a time when
farmers required all the information available,
in their calling, it is now.
  Our wheat crop has not averaged more than
ten to twelve bushels per acre this year, and at
75 cents per bushel the profit comes on the
wrong sid e of the account.
  Our fruit trees have grown well this season,
but have, as a general thing, failed to bear.
Of pears, the Flemish Beauty, which bore pro-
fusely last year, has this season 4ailed to pro-
duce specimens enough to exhibit at the Agri-
cultural shows.
  Apples have not done much better, though a
few varieties, as the Lowell, Early Pennock,
Spitzenberg, English Redstreak and Keswick
Codline, have with me fraited well every year.
  Now permit me to ask you a question which
is of great importance to all who have young
orchards just beginning to bear: What shall
we do with them in the summer? It is a great
trial to a man's patience to cultivate hoed crops
in an orchard, and the trees always have a
sickly appearance wheregrain orgrass is grown
among them. Will you enlighten us on this
subject in the FARMER?
                     HANRY W. NIcHOLSON.



ZrhseA, Wis., Nor. 16, 162.
-A_    -. _              -L At- AA obn      a -



NOTE.-Our own UplULon 15 tl6L a maUU



course Is the true one.  An orchard may be
cropped to the impoverishment of the soil and
the detriment of the trees; or the fruit-treee
may suffer, on the ether hand, from being bur-
ied up and half choked by a tight turf. Tree
growing thriftily are much less liable to suffer
from the depredations Of hsil  i from the
ravage of disease of whateeW^n those
that are stinted or rv   is *' t growing.
We recognize the principle In its &Vlplication to
animals, but forget it altogether when we come
to growing fruits.
  Thorough pruning, occasional braikng up,
cultivating in hoed crops, with suitabie man-
uring, and then for a brief period seeding down
with clover, are, in our estimation, eardinal
points in the treatment of an orchard. Possi-
bly many fruit-growers may differ with us; if
so we hope they will be prompt to correct the
error of our teaching.
  We have no pet theory to championize and
seek only the truth. Will the Horticulturists
give us the benefit of their views and a full
discussion of the subject in the FAnNERt Our
columns are open, and they are always wel-
come.



  We have been asked several times lately, if
our impressions of southern Illinois are still
as favorable as as formerly, referring to com-
munications of ours in the FARMER.
  To which we reply: they are, and more so.
No section with which we are acquainted offers
anything like equal advantages for fruit-grow-
ing. Some notes of what has been done there
we intend to write out for the FAnMER.
  It is true this section in common with others
on the border has suffered largely from this
unfortunate war, still there are many new fruit
farms opened up every year, and more trees
are planted each season than the previous one.
  The amount of planting the coming spring
will depend somewhat upon the supply of help.
This is a matter of considerable importance
there just now. So large a portion of the able
bodied men being in the army. operations In



(5



VUVAG A  EGA VG.6 '- 'I     J J -ram