22G STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



then the seed should be iireserved in dry sand. In tlie Spring when the phints 

 begin to appear they must be carefully weeded, and during the summer tliey 

 must be constantly cultivated and kept clear from weeds, whicli if suffered to 

 grow will soon overtop the plants and spoil their growth. If they thrive well, 

 they will be lit to transplant the October following, at which time the ground 

 should be carefully digged and cleaned from the roots of all l)ad weeds. Tiien 

 the stocks should be planted in rows, three feet asunder, and the plants one 

 foot distant in the row. They should by no means be iieadcd back, which 

 would weaken them and cause them to produce lateral branches. In taking 

 the stocks out of the seed-bed you must raise the ground with a spade in order 

 to preserve the roots as entire as possible, then with your knife you should prune 

 off all the very small fibres, and if there are any that have a tendency to shoot 

 downright, the tap root must l)e shortened in order to force out horizontal 

 roots. In the summer season you must always observe to hoe and destroy the 

 weeds, and in succeeding years you should observe to dig up the ground every 

 spring between the rows. You should also observe when any of the stocks have 

 shot out lateral branches to prune them off that they may be encouraged to 

 grow straight aiid smooth. The stocks intended for standards will require three 

 years' growth before they will be fit to graft, Avhcn they will l)e upwards of six 

 feet high.'' 



Very full and complete directions for grafting, by ap])roac]i in tiic rind, by 

 cleft and whip-grafting, are given ; but as they differ in no particular from 

 those of modern writers, I will not take time to quote tliem, except the follow- 

 ing rules for the directions of scions : 



"1st. That they should bo shoots of the former year, for when they are older 

 they never succeed well. 



"2d. Always to take them from healthy, fruitful trees, for if the trees are 

 sickly from whence they arc taken the grafts very often partake so much of the 

 distemper as rarely to get the better of it, at least for some years, and when 

 they are taken from young, luxuriant trees, whose vessels are generally large, 

 they will continue to produce luxuriant shoots, and are seldom so fertile as 

 those taken from fruitful trees whose shoots are more compact, and the joints 

 closer together ; at least it will be a much greater number of years before these 

 luxuriant grafts begin to produce fruit. 



"3d. You should prefer those grafts wliich are taken from the lateral 

 branches to those from strong perpendicular shoots, for the reasons before 



given." 



After the trees have had two years' growth from the graft, they are to be set 

 in orchard, on the situation and soil for which the author has the following: 



'•'The best situation for an orchard is on the ascent of gentle hills, facing the 

 south or southeast; but this ascent must not be too steep. Tiiere are many 

 persons who prefer low situations at the foot of hills, but I am thoroughly con- 

 vinced, from exjierience, that all bottoms, where there are hills on every side, 

 are very improper for this purpose, for the air is drawn down in strong cur- 

 rents, which, being pent in on every side, renders these bottoms much colder 

 than the open situations, and during the winter and spring these bottoms are 

 very unhealthy to all vegetables; tlicrcfore, the gentle I'ise of a hill, fully 

 exposed to the sun and air, is by much the best situation. 



"As to the soil a gentle, hazel loam which is easy to work, and which does not 

 detain the wet, is the be~t, for although these trees will grow upon very strong 

 land, yet they are seldom so thriving, nor arc their fruits so well flavored as 



