FBUIT CULTUBJ: in MA8SACUUSETT8. 



190. '2.1, To obtain lower secondary branches of a })ro]>or relative strength ; and, 



like the niain-branelies, perfectly straight, and tapering, without swelling or knots, 



]C)\ 3J — Not to form the upper secondary brandies until the lower ones are so 

 well established, that there may be no danger of their being impoverished by tlio 

 upper secondaries depriving them of the necessary sap. Rather than run the risk of 

 this, it is better to delay their formation for a year, or more. 



102. 4th, — To take advantage of all the eyes, or young shoots, which grow on the 

 upper or under sides of each branch, in order to furnish it properly with fruit-branches 

 and successional shoots ; and to destroy all the eyes which push in front of the 

 branches as soon as they make their appearance, in order not to leave unsightly scars. 

 Those produced at the back of the branch are likewise taken off", unless there is a va- 

 cancy to fill up, in which case they are preferable to those in front. The shoots 

 resultino- from these eyes must be nailed so as to bring them gradually to the side. 



193. 5th, — Lastly, in order to insure these results, to make a proper use of the 

 means, which are presented by disbudding ; by pinching, which should not be too 

 liberally applied ; and by summer-pruning, so useful for concentrating the sap in the 

 base of the successional shoot. Neither must we forget the importance of training the 

 principal branches in a perfectly straight direction, this being favorable to the circu- 

 lation of the sap ; nor that of nailing, the effects of which have been treated on, accord- 

 ing as it is loose, or otherwise, and whether it keep the branch in an easy or confined, 

 a vertical or inclined position ; the importance of shading the strong part to retard 

 its growth ; and that of budding and inarching when there is no more natural means 

 of producing a shoot where it is wanted. In thus operating with care and intelligence 

 we will generally obtain trees of regular form, having the bark of the principal branches 

 fresh and nearly smooth, indicating perfect health. They will be well-furnished 

 with fruit-branches at regular distances , and their crops will also be regular and 

 abundant. 



FRUIT CULTURE IN MASSACHUSETTS.* 



A STRIKING characteristic of the agriculture of the present time, as compared with 

 that of a former period, is the much greater attention now paid to the cultivation of 

 fruit. The early settlers made some attempts to introduce the best varieties of Apples 

 and Pears known in the mother country when they left it. For this purpose, some 

 brought with them the seeds of these fruits, but, to their astonishment, they found that 

 the product of the trees which sprung from them was very diflferent from what they 

 expected, and in many instances inferior to the fruit from which the seed had been 

 taken. They did not understand how this could be, as they did not know that the 

 seedling is often inferior to the fruit whose seed is sown.f 



* From the Fir»t Annual Report of the Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Agnculiiire. 



The first fruit raisdl, was on Governor's Island, in the harbor of Boston, from which, on the tOth of October, 



ten fair Pippins were brought, " there being not one Apple nor Tear tree planted in any part of the country, 



upon that island." 



