234 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The next question is, When is the best time to trim fruit- 

 trees? This question was assigned to Mr. Slade of Somerset. 



Mr. Slade. Fruit-trees can be pruned at any time, pro- 

 vided only small limbs or twigs are cut ; and the rule should 

 be, to so prune when the trees are small as never to be 

 obliged to amputate large limbs. Cuts will heal sooner 

 when the limbs are removed in June ; but it requires more 

 care at that time, as the bark peels so easily. 



The next question is, Would it increase the yield of win- 

 ter grain, rye, and wheat, to sow on gypsum ? If so, how 

 much per acre ? and when, — in the autumn, or spring ? 



Mr. Flint. I think I can answer that question. Gyp- 

 sum is not a substance particularly adapted to promote the 

 growth of rye or wheat. I do not believe it would pay to 

 sow plaster on those particular crops. Plaster has its uses ; 

 but its uses are somewhat local ; and the reasons why it does 

 not do well on some soils are not well understood either by 

 practical or scientific men. But, wherever it may be useful, 

 it is not particularly useful on wheat, rye, or any of the 

 small grains. That is, perhaps, a sufficient answer to that 

 question. 



It should be sown in spring always. It requires an 

 immense amount of moisture for its solution. It is inert 

 until it is dissolved, so that quite early in the spring is the 

 time to apply plaster. Professor Goessmann can state more 

 intelligently than I have why plaster is not adapted to grain- 

 crops. 



Professor Goessimann. Under ordinary circumstances 

 you find that the constituents of the plaster, sulphate of 

 lime, will not dissolve, and therefore it cannot answer 

 directly as plant-food. It may in some instances serve a 

 useful purpose by preparing j^lant-food. It is one of those 

 chemical compounds which suffer decomposition. It liberates 

 potash, for instance, in the soil, and therefore indirectly, in 

 exceptional cases, it might do some good. 



Mr. Flint. The next question is. In feeding Indian-corn 

 meal or shorts to neat-stock, is it best to do it before or 

 after a feed of hay? 



Mr. Milo J. Smith of Northampton will answer that ques- 

 tion. 



Mr. Smith. My theory is, that all grains fed to ruminat- 



