STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 33 



with the branches and defoliate them to a considerable height. In this way trees that at 

 first were without trunks arc now without Bmali branches; they have Instead several 

 tall naked stems ; these after bearing one or two crops of fruit spread out horizontally, 

 further increasing the labor of approaching the trees. These are only a few of many ob- 

 Jections. We leave this nut with the practical advocates of low heads, to crack. 



We would be allowed one other suggestion before leaving the peach. In several or- 

 chards we observed thai the trees wen- subjected to what is called shortening in pruning. 

 No style of pruning can possibly work so much harm as this. At the Bast, from actual 

 experience, we found it to operate precisely as desired. There the whole tendency of the 

 peacb Is to produce leaves and twigs at the extremities of the limbs only. Under such 

 conditions cutting back, as described by Downing, keeps the base of the limbs and the 

 interior of the head supplied with foliage. Here, on the contrary, our trees without 

 artificial aid, are BO densely clothed with a vigorous growth as to produce mutual starva- 

 tion, and from this cause only, become too open and naked at the base of the limbs. It, 

 therefore, beqpmes apparent, that cutting back the young shoots would so increase over 

 production, as to produce the evil it was intended to avoid. So we found it to do, and 

 observed that such was the tendency in the orchards where it is practiced. Instead of 

 shortening in, determine as well as you can which of the interior branches it will be pos- 

 to fully expose to the sun and air. Cut all others away. If the limbs are too loug, 

 select some small healthy branch from such limbs and cut away all beyond. 



THE CHERRY. 



At Princeton we found the May Cherry on both Mahaleb and Morello stocks. The 

 trees on both stocks were loaded with fruit. Here, as elsewhere, the testimony was the 

 same: that the trees worked on Mahaleb were two years later in coming into bearing 

 than those worked on the Morello ; but owing to the iucreased size, and after fruitful- 

 ness of the trees on Mahaleb, it was apparent that they would quickly repay for the 

 loss of time in coming into bearing. We also found trees of the Duke varieties 

 standing side by side with the May cherries, and planted at the same time, that were 

 bearing fall crops of fruit, quite as much as the May. Indeed we do not recollect to 

 have witnessed more sati-factory results at Alton, where the Dukes are supposed to do 

 well. The only drawbacks apparent were the depredations of insects and birde, neither 

 of which appeared to be one-eighth as destructive as they arc, further South. The 

 partial exemption from curculios was due, as we suppose, from the general lack of 

 those fruits in which these insects breed. From what we saw of the Heart or sweet 

 cherries, we should expect perfect success with these also, provided they were worked 

 on the Mahaleb stock, and annually root-pruned to a moderate extent. In compliance 

 with our suggestion, several parties promised to root-prune their Heart cherries, and 

 from time to time report the result to the Society. It certainly would be desirable to 

 secure a supply of so delicious a fruit as the Sweet cherry for the family ; and after- 

 wards, if the experiment should promise to be remunerative, then it could be grown 

 for market. 



The health of the Heart and Bigarreau cherries is maintained with much difficulty 

 at Alton and further South. Their growth is frequently matured so early as to cause 

 them to cast their foliage in August or September, and they are afterwards excited to 

 a second growth by the combined action of the warm weather and autumnal rains. 

 This effort on the part of the tree to produce two sets of leaves iu one season is 



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