280 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



root and top was better kept up, and in many instances the 

 preponderance of root over the top was clearly apparent. Such 

 trees removed to soil in better condition than that from whence 

 they came, in our experience, have seldom failed to make good 

 growth the first year, thus corroborating the correctness of our 

 theory. 



We are writing about trees which were afflicted with no 

 disease — deficiency of food alone, was all that retarded the 

 making of wood. In that condition we have set many hundreds 

 which had for some years increased so little in size that it was 

 difficult to ascertain their age. The results proved satisfactory, 

 with rare exceptions. 



To the peach the remark that there is nothing more certain 

 in this world than that everything is uncertain, seems to apply 

 with peculiar force, especially if we take the number of crops 

 which have been harvested during the last nine years as the 

 basis for arriving at conclusions. 



Many are of opinion that another cycle of years will produce 

 different results ; that ere long the frequent seasons of abun- 

 dance of this delicious, refreshing fruit will " come round;" 

 and to show that their faith is a living one, they continue to 

 plant trees. For the encouragement of those who desire and 

 are determined to try to cultivate peaches, we will remark that 

 from a little experience and more observation, we have arrived 

 at the conclusion that the north and westerly slopes of high 

 lands are far better than a southern declivity. Several of the 

 most fruitful orchards which we have known on the northern 

 border of this State, and in Hillsborough County, N. H., had 

 exposures where the mountains in' the distance, in the west and 

 north-west, were in full view. 



Were we philosophers, we would reason in this way, in order 

 to convince others of the soundness of our views on this head. 

 The peach is a tender tree, and seldom found in the winter in 

 condition to resist freezing to the extent of more than ten 

 degrees below zero, without destroying the fruit buds and much 

 injuring the vitality of the tree. It is also quite sensitive to 

 sudden and violent changes in the weather, and scarcely less so 

 during the period of rest. Now, then, on the high ground, 

 although the aspect seems rough and bleak, the mercury docs 

 not run so low as it does in the hollows and less exposed situ- 



