RENOVATING OLD PEAK TREES. 



This is now three years ago. All the trees have greatly improved. No. 2, which had 

 only manure, has made a good growth, but the fruit is still imperfect. No. 1, which had 

 only the mineral manures, bears much better fruit than it formerly did, but the tree is not 

 vigorous. No. 3, which had a plentiful supply of both mineral and animal manure, is not 

 only very much the most luxuriant tree, but is loaded with a crop of St. Michels that 

 reminds me of " old times." 



Does not this experiment prove that to renovate an old pear tree, it is not suflBcient to 

 give it lime, potash, and the like? I think so. But there are other points which are 

 worth a moment's attention. 



The first is, that an old tree, with stunted short branches, which have grown perhaps 

 onlj"- two or three inches per annum, for five j^ears past, is not in a condition to be roused 

 into healthy growth, even by both kinds of manures. For such a tree, it is necessary to 

 use the knife, in order to force the tree to re-ad or rouse itself a little — to make new wood 

 — to put out fresher and larger leaves — in short, get up a new set of sap-vessels at the 

 extremities, which are not so choked up and sluggish in action as the old stunted ones. 



The right way to do this is to shorten-back the ends of the limbs — say from six inches 

 to a foot, all over the tree. The more the tree is stunted — the more it should be cut back. 

 But never "trim out" the large branches of an old pear tree severely — as this often has 

 a tendency to cause the fire blight. The shortening-back may be done in early autumn 

 or spring. I prefer March. The best time for the " renovating" is in the autumn. 



The second point, is to keep the tree well mulched over the surface of the ground that 

 covers the roots. The best things for this purpose I believe to be salt-hay — or tan bark. 

 It should be spread as far as the roots extend — or better still, half as far again. The 

 roots of trees actually luxuriate in the cool and moist soil that is always to be found un- 

 der the mulching — even in this hot and dry season, when otherwise, the top soil would be 

 as parched as powder. 



Although I have given you but three examples of pear trees renovated, I have seen 

 several others which go to illustrate with greater or less force the facts I have stated. The 

 older and more stubborn the subject, the more it becomes necessary to give it a very liberal 

 supply of both animal and mineral manures. But once applied in the manner I have di- 

 rected, it will not probably be requisite again for several years, or perhaps an annual top- 

 dressing of the same substances would be sufiicient for a long time afterwards. 



I am sir, yours, A Boston Subscribkr. 



Boston, Jug. 1851. 



We thank our Boston Subscriber for his practical communication, which we cordially 

 approve. Old pear trees that have become barren, need an abundant supply of animal 

 manure as well as mineral, to rouse them into a state of renewed growth and fruitfulness. 

 We were present lately at a discussion which took place respecting the application of sub- 

 stances to renovate old pear trees — in which one of the experimentors declared his utter 

 failure and want of faith in any such results. Another gave an account of a fine old tree 

 most completely renovated by a plentiful drenching of the soil about its roots with "bul- 

 lock's blood," one of the most powerful of manures, containing both organic and inorganic 

 food for plants. Ed. 



