*^294 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTUEE. 



• of the tree, at the summer crisis, when it stops. The tree has exhausted all its 

 powers ; the sap-cells liave closed up, and that is the time to sever the tree ; 

 that is the time to pinch in grapevines ; to cut and clear underbrush to prevent 

 sprouting for tillage ; but here remember to cut off below ever}'- bud, smother- 

 ing it (the leaves are the lungs of plants, and a bud is an incipient cluster of 

 leaves), otherwise, as there 'is a connective attraction between every bud and 

 the root-sap, the bud, after the recuperation of the tree, will start and grow ; 

 this is the time to beat off the sprouts that sometimes grow from under ground 

 out from the body and roots of an apple tree, which, if beaten off below every 

 bud, no more will come. Cover up the wounded roots and body of the tree. 

 Never cut off the sprouts Avith a knife ; this is the time to prune orchards 

 to prevent sap-suckers the following spring. Why? Because being then no 

 flow of sap, the wood of the wound will season in one quarter of an inch, and 

 the Aveak flow of sap that follows after the crisis for six weeks will heal over the 

 bark wounds, and strike out new channels Avithout suckering, and in the spring 

 folloAviug Avill enlarge those channels sufficiently to carry off the sa]) Avithout 

 breaking cut into suckers, Avhile if you jDrune in the spring Avhen there is a gush- 

 ing floAv of sap, every limb severed dams up the sap, and it breaks out into sap- 

 -suckers. If you cut off a large leader there is so much sap flowing in it that it 

 keeps flowing Avithout healing, floAving doAvn the tree, turning tlie bark black, 

 becomes a running sore that never heals, but finally rots thcAvood of the tree, 

 and sometimes causes premature decay. 



Unfortunately the first of August is just the time Avhen farmers are croAvded 

 and exiiausted Avitli work, and have no time to do the labor aboA"e prescribed, 

 and perhaps some may try to persuade themselves that the more convenient 

 spring time may do just as Avell. 



In conclusion, it may be further remarked that posts should be cut from Avhat 

 is usually called second groAvth of timber, and not from spalt-hearted old trees. 

 The post should be thoroughly seasoned for the purpose of shrinking more tight 

 the sap-cells, for the inside moisture is the great cause of decay, hence the reason, 

 why green posts prematurely rot off; and, again, if the posts be set green, Avith 

 open sap-cells and butt in the ground, there is a continual effort by capillary 

 attraction to raise moisture from the earth into the body of the post. It is 

 therefore better that the post be set Avitli the butt upAvard, and thus reverse the 

 tendency to capillary attraction. Timber, to be free from decay, must be kept 

 perfectly and continually dry, or continually under Avater, therefore the longer 

 the post is kept dry, the longer it Avill last. There must be an outside protec- 

 tion to keep out the moisture and wood-borer, and this is accomplished by the 

 bath, Avhicli will penetrate one-half inch into the Avood, and, if the tar be then 

 employed, the Avood Avill be kept entirely impervious to moisture. 



The number of papers read at this Institute Avas unusually large, and but feAV 

 of them as thorough and exhaustive of the subjects treated as Ave should desire 

 for this report. 



We liaA'e been compelled to make a selection from thirty papers or more, 

 and the foregoing are those that in our judgment Avere most suitable to be pub- 

 lished. 



The folloAving papers, some of them of considerable merit, haA'e been omitted : 



"Order on the Farm" — J. F. Ball, Cambria. 



"Rotation of crops" — E. C. L. Mumford, Moscoav. 



'•Farm Tools, their care and use" — Wm. Drake, Amboy. 



"Hints on Farm Management" — R. W. Freeman, Litchfield. 



