ORCHARDS. 181 



grafting or afterwards, acts also as a stimulant, and in the use 

 of tliem we should be guided by the condition of the tree. If 

 it be a very unthrifty one, we of course may make applications 

 of this sort much more liberally than if it were in a vigorous 

 and healthy state. We have often noticed one great miscon- 

 ception which people appear to entertain, as shown by the fact 

 that they apply the manure within a circle of perhaps a rod or 

 a rod and a half in diameter ; whereas, with our ideas of the 

 condition of an old tree, and the way in which it is supplied 

 with nourishment, we should incline to apply nearly the whole 

 of it outside of such a circle. As a general rule we do not 

 think it advisable to apply manure until after the tree has been 

 grafted two or more years, and in fact at all, as long as its 

 growth is satisfactory without. 



From the foregoing considerations it will be seen that nearly 

 every operation which is performed in reclaiming old trees is 

 of a highly stimulating character, and when they are all 

 brought to bear at once upon a tree which may, perhaps, have 

 been entirely neglected and allowed to grow in sward land 

 for many years, the result will too often be of a fatal character. 

 The balance of the tree is destroyed ; the new wood which 

 grows late is not properly ripened and matured to stand the 

 winter. After the scions for one or two years have made an 

 enormous growth, and borne, very likely, a fine crop, there 

 will be found dead or dying limbs, and often, with the pear 

 especially, the tree lingers out a precarious existence for a 

 year or two longer, and finally dies in consequence of over 

 stimulation. 



It is therefore very important that we should not be in too 

 great haste to obtain results. Moderate growth, with health 

 and hardiness, is better than great luxuriance, with succulent, 

 tender and delicate wood. By taking an extra year or two to 

 bring about the conversion of an old tree into a young one, we 

 may preserve its life with many years of productiveness. 



Before taking leave of the subject, we desire to call attention 

 to a kind of grafting which, although not common yet, has many 

 things to recommend it. We have employed it to some extent, 

 and feel pleased with the result thus far. The plan is this : — 

 A limb which carries from a fourth to a half of the foliage 

 of the tree, and which may be of any size, even to twelve 



