This section is from "The Horticulturist, And Journal Of Rural Art And Rural Taste", by P. Barry, A. J. Downing, J. Jay Smith, Peter B. Mead, F. W. Woodward, Henry T. Williams. Also available from Amazon: Horticulturist and Journal of Rural Art and Rural Taste.
Earliest. Height, two feet. Pods, abort but full. Productions, most desirable.
This proves to be a real acquisition to our list of Pompones. It has this season bloomed with us about a month in advance of the others. The flowers are of medium size; compact and double, somewhat globular, of a clear yellow. Cuttings struck in July are now pretty dwarf plants in full bloom.
Perhaps I may afford some information regarding this fruit. Many years since the. name was in the catalogue of one of our oldest nurseries, as a synonym of the Large Early; I do not remember to have seen the trees so named in fruit, but have some recollection of satisfying myself of the identity of the two, by a comparison of the wood and foliage.
Mr. Ernlin, late editor of the Pennsylvanian Farm Journal, furnished me with a fine vine two years ago. It was carefully planted among other varieties at a long grape arbor in my garden. It grew finely, and bears this season for the first time; some three dozen bunches of medium size, with fine berries, rather large and free from disease, while the Isabella is more or less afflicted, and the Catawba is a total failure on the same trellis.
The grape is now ripe, while the Isabella is just assuming the amathistine hue. It is a vigorous grower, perfectly hardy, and altogether makes quite a fine appearance.
The color of the berry is a beautiful red, in this respect resembling the Catawba.
Mr. M. H. Simpson, of Saxonville, says the Boston Transcript, of last month, to-day exhibited, at the rooms of the Horticultural Society, a box of the "Early York" Peach. They were grown and ripened in his grape-house, on the principle of the " Simpso-nian system of culture,"viz: three crops in two years, which can be applied to peaches as well as grapes. The tree from which these peaches were plucked this morning, bore a crop in Messrs. Hovey & Co.'s Nursery, last September. The peaches on exhibition were grown in three and a half months from the time of starting. His grapes grown upon this system, are now fully ripe, and of a superior quality, the vines exhibiting no signs of having been overtasked.
" Far better, and perfectly hardy when top-worked." I will remark that this kind on my grounds, root-grafted, is only half hardy, and a poor bearer. What specimens there are, however, are very fine.
We received a box of this new Rhubarb from Messrs. Barnes and Washburn, of Dorchester, Mass., and have given it a trial. The stalks are not large, but are of a pretty ruby color, tender, with a mild, pleasant flavor.
Although a straggling, crooked grower while young, this variety makes a fine, open orchard tree; and as it ripens the very earliest, and is good for the table, and commands ready sale, I place it as one of the most desirable sorts for the orchard or private garden. The fruit is of medium size, purplish black, juicy, sweet, half tender, and very good.
 
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