534 



DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



season is passed over and the trees are not plant- 

 ed. But this plan gives the labor to those who 

 need it, and the expense falls on those who are 

 able and willing to bear it, while the inducement is 

 sufficiently strong to give assurance that the work 

 will be done in the best manner. L. T. Wal- 

 worth, April 1849. 



[We give our hearty commendation to efforts 

 like the above, and should be glad to hear that in- 

 dividuals of sufficient taste and public spirit could 

 be found in every village in the United States to 

 induce those who have so little love of their own 

 neighborhood or home as not to care to render it 

 attractive, to do so from other motives, trusting to 

 the certain influence of beautiful trees to work its 

 own happy results in good time on the hearts of 

 all those who live in the midst of them. Ed.] 



Overbearing of Dwarf Trees. — Having, like 

 many others at this time, caught the tree fever, I 

 am desirous of finding out the best remedies for 

 the doubts and ills that beset me. So much has 

 been said and written on the method of setting out 

 trees, the preparation of borders, digging the 

 holes, &c. &c., that upon this point there is no lack 

 of information, nor much disagreement of opinion ; 

 we have sailing directions enough, and it is pretty 

 well understood now that a tree must not be plant- 

 ed as though it was a post ; but not so in regard 

 to the management of the tree after it is set out. 

 I know we often have dissertations upon the man- 

 agement of trees, but those I have read treat 

 mostly of pruning, and upon this subject scarcely 

 any two agree, and there seems to be no settled 

 theory or practice. 



I have particular reference now to the French, 

 or Dwarf Pear trees, on Quince. Every one ac- 

 quainted with these trees, knows that some kinds 

 are inclined to come into early bearing, and it is 

 an admitted fact that young trees suffered to bear 

 a full crop, will receive a check to their growth, 

 from which they rarely recover. Now what I de- 

 sire to know is this : whether it is best to suffer 

 such trees to flower, and then cut off the blossoms, 

 or let them set their fruit and then pluck it off, 

 whether the whole or part ; or to nip off the fruit 

 buds in March, and thus prevent altogether the 

 flowering and formation of fruit? I have put 

 these questions to some of my amateur friends, 

 but without any philosophical answer ; some say 

 one way, some another ; doubtless any way is bet- 

 ter than to allow the tree to bear, (if growth is 

 the object,) but I find no one who has made any 

 experiments, and it seems desirable to find out and 

 adopt the least exhausting process, and encourage 

 the steady growth of the tree. 



Of the kinds inclined to early bearing, the 

 Bartlett and Louise Bonne de Jersey stand fore- 

 most. I have trees of the latter set out in '46, 

 which bore full in '47, a fair crop in '48, and some 

 fruit buds this year, but no growth, no new wood, 

 and probably no more fruit after this year ; and I 

 doubt if thrifty trees can now be made of them. 



I am of opinion that this variety and most of tb» 

 other varieties, should not be permitted to bear 

 fruit till the 2d or 3d year. 



I know, Mr. Editor, it is very hard to make new 

 beginners pluck off the young fruit. I was myself 

 told I should spoil my trees, but did not believe 

 it, and I liked to see the fruit grow, but I have 

 learned better now, and am desirous of further 

 light from some of the more experienced tree 

 growers. If sir, you can find leisure to answer 

 my queries, either by letter or through your jour- 

 nal, you will much oblige your obedient servant, 

 W. R. Austin. Dorchester, 'Mass., April 8, 1849, 



[Removal of the fruit buds in the spring, before 

 they open, is the best mode of throwing additional 

 vigor into the growing buds. When young trees- 

 have been injured by premature overbearing, the 

 wisest course is to shorten back the previous years' 

 shoots to one bud. This, v/ith the aid of a little 

 animal manure, will cause the tree to push out 

 vigorous shoots, and regain a luxuriant habit 

 much more speedily than if the sap was forced 

 to circulate through the contracted sap vessels of 

 the last years' stinted growth. Ed.] 



Analysis of Soils. — All our readers, alive to 

 the importance of a chemical knowledge of the 

 soil they cultivate, will be glad to hear of a most 

 laudable movement lately made by the American 

 Agricultural Association, of New- York, to ena- 

 ble farmers and gardeners to learn with accuracy,, 

 and at a reasonable cost, the nature o-f the soils- 

 they cultivate. 



The great cost of obtaining an accurate analy- 

 sis of soils has, hitherto, prevented nine-tenths of 

 the farming class from seeking tliis information, — 

 important as it is to a systematic and intelligent 

 improvement of the land. 



By the following circular, which has been placed 

 in our hands by one of the officers of the Americam 

 Agricultural Association, it will be seen that ais 

 analysis may now be obtained, under their patron- 

 age, at a price so moderate that every cultivator 

 can avail himself of the opportunity to ascertain, 

 the exact composition of his fields or garden: 



" In order to afford to practical agriculture alB 

 the benefits which recent discoveries in chemistry 

 and the collateral sciences are capable of yielding,, 

 the American Agricultural Association have estab- 

 lished a chemical laboratory, in which the farm- 

 ing community can have samples of surface and 

 subsoil analysed, together with manures, marls, 

 gypsum, &c.; and that this institution may be 

 made extensively available, tlie charges for analy- 

 ses have been struck at the following low scale: 

 1. — Complete quantitative analysis of a soil, de- 

 termination of all ingredients, and advice con- 

 nected therewith, $5 00 



2. — Approximate analysis of surface or sub- 

 soil, 1 00 



3. — Analysis of bone dust, gypsum, &c., to 

 determine the presence of one ingre- 

 dient, 60 



