earth each ; the soil was composed of about equal parts sandy loam and old hot 

 bed manure ; in this compost they grew rapidly, and in the succeeding spring 

 each tree set about thirty nice fruit. On the first day of May, 1854, my engage- 

 ment with Mr. Hunnevvell commenced, and within one week from the above date 

 every fruit fell off (the fruit were evidently undergoing the process of stoning, a 

 critical period with all stone fruits) ; this misfortune I attributed entirely to the 

 low temperature they were sometimes subjected to, the young man who had part 

 charge of the house informing me the temperature inside was often as low as 40° 

 at sunrise. 



This disappointment made me determined if possible to ripen them another 

 year ; in order to do this I felt it was important to secure well ripened, short 

 jointed wood ; this I achieved to my entire satisfaction. On the 20th November, 

 1854, I put them inside the grapery, and withheld water from them until the 

 15th January, 1855 ; when I commenced starting them at a temperature of 

 40° to 45° at night, and 50° to 55° by day ; syringing them three or four 

 times a day until the blossoms began to expand on the 5th of February ; by this 

 time the trees were really magnificent, being literally covered with large deep 

 pink blossoms. I assisted their setting by the use of a camel's-hair pencil, and 

 in about a fortnight, as soon as the blossoms began to decay, I had the satis- 

 faction of seeing every shoot covered with embryo fruit. I then increased the 

 temperature to 45° to 50° by night, and 60° to 10° and even 80° in bright days, 

 syringing them frequently ; cautiously admitting air in cold weather, and giving 

 the trees just sufficient water to keep them in a growing state. Just previous to 

 their stoning, or when the fruit are about the size of chestnuts, I thinned out 

 the fruit, and left one, and sometimes as many as three, on each shoot. When 

 about the size of walnuts, or as soon as the stoning process is over, I com- 

 menced watering in earnest, giving each tree not less than eight gallons of water 

 daily, with a moist temperature of 10° to 90° by day, and 55° to 60° by night. 

 Three or four times a week I watered them with a weak solution of guano, the 

 quantity used about one ounce of guano to one gallon of water, always apply- 

 ing the liquids at about 65° — this I conceive of the first importance. 



Under this treatment the fruit swelled with astonishing rapidity. As the fruit 

 approached maturity, I ceased syringing altogether, and applied pure water only 

 at the rate of five gallons daily, keeping the air as dry as possible, but admitting 

 as much fresh air as circumstances would admit of. By the 4th July each tree 

 bore thirty and forty large well ripened and highly colored fruit. 



My success having surpassed my expectations, and being perfectly satisfied that 

 the treatment adopted was such as the tree required, I have pursued the same 

 course since, and this season I have been again successful ; one tree producing 

 nearly four dozen, and the other six dozen of the finest fruit imaginable, some speci- 

 mens measuring 1^ inches in circumference, and all beautifully colored, where not 

 shaded by the foliage. Those persons who have tasted the fruit have expressed them- 

 selves in the strongest manner in its praise, and I believe it has been the general 

 opinion that the flavor was superior to any other variety cultivated in this section 

 of the country ; indeed, coming up fully to the glowing descriptions given when 

 it was first introduced into England. 



There is an impression that this fruit is particularly liable to crack, but from 

 ray observation in its culture, I should not say it had any very strong tendency 

 that way, though it is very likely to be the case if kept too damp or allowed to 

 be wet in the last stage of its growth. I feel confident no one will be disap- 

 ted in this respect, if they follow strictly the treatment I have just indicated 



West Needham, July 18, 1856. 



