SPECIAL MANURES AfTER PLANTING. 117 



trees. Notwithstanding all these devices for pre- 

 serving moisture in the earth, the golden rule of agri- 

 culture should be remembered. Soils disturbed when 

 dry, or during the heat of the dav, loose their moisture ; 

 but plowed or hoed in early morning, more moisture 

 is acquired. 



SPECLVL :m^vn"ures for the peaks after planting. 



That a Flemish Beauty or a Napoleon will be pro- 

 duced in perfection in one soil, while, a mile distant, 

 and in one of precisely similar appearance, they fail 

 to be anythmg more than second rate, is a mystery 

 that has hitherto mocked our investigation. It is 

 unfortunate that nostrums, based upon some degree 

 of knowledge of the necessities of the case, have been 

 palmed off upon the community, deterring many 

 persons from further investigation ; still, when we 

 recollect what science has done for human develop- 

 ment, it may reasonably be expected to j^erform much 

 for vegetation. 



If it is remembered, that it is a great thing in an 

 experiment to have Nature upon oneh side^ the ana- 

 lysis of the Pear will suggest the course our invest- 

 iccation should take. 



It is not unfrequent that trees exhibiting every 

 quality requisite for fruiting fail for many years to 

 produce a single pear, when the application of a bushel 

 of lime, a dressing of wood-aslics, a small quantity of 

 bone-meal, or of iron tilings, or refuse sand from the 

 foundry, has brought them into immediate fruitfulness. 

 I have seen some very surprising effects of some of 

 these materials, in the vigorous growth and fruiting 



