gtbflruttlto— frtiitnunt of th ^0il 



M\ T the close of an article on "Transplanting," in our March number, we promised 

 ^^ bome hints on after- culture, which we now proceed to give as far as relates to the 

 cultivation of the soil. 



John J. Thomas, who is a close and accurate observer, and by no means prone to 

 make exaggerated statements, says in his treatise, The American Fruit Culturist, 

 that more trees are lost from negligent and improper treatment after planting, than 

 from all other causes combined. The conductor of one of the most extensive nurseries 

 in this country — a man of great experience and very extensive observation — said to 

 us, a short time ago, " I know of no way in which you can do horticulture a greater 

 service, than to urge upon people who plant trees, the importance — nay, the down- 

 riffht necessity — of better cultivation than that which prevails at the present time." 

 " Every day," said he, " they come here and make long and bitter complaints that 

 their trees have died, or have made no growth ; and wherever I go, I see trees in 

 orchards, gardens, lawns, and pleasure-grounds, in a stunted, sickly, and dying condi- 

 tion, mainly in consequence of careless and unskillful culture of the ground. If the 

 evil can not be completely reached through the press, the friends of arboriculture 

 should raise a fund, and employ a competent person to go out as a missionary among 

 planters, and preach on this text, ' Good Cultivation.'' If it were possible to compute 

 the loss which this country sustains annually in the mismanagement of trees, the result 

 would be astounding." 



We are well persuaded, from our knowledge of the manner in which trees are man- 

 aged, that there is great room for improvement ; and not merely among the agricul- 

 tural classes, whose attention is chiefly absorbed in their farm crops and stock, and who 

 consider trees as of comparatively little importance, but among those who give a large 

 share of attention to horticulture, and have learned to appreciate both its pleasures and 

 profits. Some are careless : they get their trees planted, and no doubt intend to give 

 them all necessary attention, but unfortunately they forget; other matters more press- 

 ing, and for the time apparently more important, present themselves, and the poor 

 trees are left to fight their own battles as best they can. Others are careful and atten- 

 tive to their trees, but do not really understand what good cultivation is ; while they 

 flatter themselves they have done everything for them that could be done, they have 

 scarcely done anything useful or eflfective. The misfortune is, a very large portion of 

 those who plant are not half in earnest ; they go about it without the slightest expe- 

 rience ; and instead of making a deep and thorough search for information in books, 

 and in the example set by experienced and successful cultivators, they are satisfied with 

 the merest inkling of information — a simple say-so of a neighbor, which is as likely to 

 be a false guide as a true one. This will never do — there is no excuse for ignorance 

 now in this country ; books and periodicals are numerous and cheap, and examf 

 actual practice are everywhere to be found, from which to gather instruction. 



May 1, 1854. e 1 Ko. V. 



