REPORTS OF LOCAL SOCIETIES. 265 



throw it up into the trees when tliey were ti little damp. This idea was 

 advanced at the meeting of our State Society at Paw Paw by one of the mem- 

 bers who had used it for two years with good results. 



As to health of trees, freeing the fruit from insects, etc., the uses of lime 

 might be mentioned without number. For instance, at Mr. Whittlesey's, near 

 St. Jose])h, last fall, I saw some grape vines that were badly affected with mil- 

 dew, lie sifted slaked lime over them and stopped it completely. I have 

 seen the mildew stopped on the turnip crop by a sifting of lime. Many other 

 things might be mentioned in favor of using lime on other trees, and whv not 

 for the peach? 



Salt I have used on my i)each land for several years with good results. It 

 lias been said that they never knew a case of the yellows in Europe; but Presi- 

 dent Lyon, at the December meeting at Paw Paw, said we had sent it over 

 from America, either in some trees or pits. ]S"ow the deposit of salt from the 

 ocean is from 36 to 40 pounds 23er acre annually in England, and may not this 

 fact have something to do with the health of the peach tree, and would it not 

 say use salt in the peach orchard? One thing I do know, that it is destruc- 

 tive to the various tribes of insects; not that it will destroy the full grown 

 insect, but it will tiie larva, and that which would be your enemy if alive, is 

 now a manure. 



I think I hear some one ask, how would you use it for the peach orchard? 

 I draw it as near as I can to the place wdiere I want to use it, then take an old 

 tin pail and sow it as I would wheat, about two bushels per acre. 



One thing I would mention here. In the fall of 18 7G I sowed about one 

 acre and a half to salt that my Jacques Rareripe trees stand on. Mr. Hattersly, 

 not knowing that I had sown it, gave it another dose, and last fall I never saw 

 a nicer lot of peaches. They had not been punctured by insects, and the trees 

 -Nvere the picture of health. Great quantities of salt are used by English 

 farmers as a fertilizer, and it has been proved in their practice, that sixteen 

 bushels per acre is destructive of all vegetation, and that eight bushels is in 

 ^excess of what can be judiciously employed. I believe that from two to three 

 bushels is all that we ought to sow in our peach orchards, and that farmers 

 •should be instructed that large quantities are not required on any crop, and 

 that one dressing will be perceptible for several years. 



Ashes I have been in the habit of using all I could get, ever since I com- 

 •aienced raising peaches for market, being careful to keep them dry and so 

 preserve all their strength, taking the idea from an European writer that 

 the peach tree would live and prosper until it was GO years old if it could get 

 ill! the alkali it wanted. In working, and always in grubbing, I kept a pan of 

 wishes by my side ; when I caught the grub I would throw out all the old gum, 

 €tc., and rub a double handful of the ashes on the stock of the tree, then put 

 ill fresh soil from the centre of the rows. 



I have wondered many, many times, if ever one-fourth of our peach men 

 thought of the heavy draught on tlie soil, and of the ingredients there must be 

 in the soil to supply the enormous demand. Take it for granted, the peach 

 tree must have a large amount of alkali, is it wise to plant the land to potatoes 

 while the trees are yet young? Taking from the soil the very thing that the 

 peach must have to live on, and produce such enormous crops, — is it wise 

 for our peach men to take such crops, and put the money in their pockets, and 

 never return anything to the soil, not even a good cultivation? It seems to 

 me that the majority of us are guilty. And now I come to the great problem : 

 .Shall we reform or shall we lose the beautiful peach? AVe may talk, we may 



