40 AN AMERICAN FARMER IN ENGLAND. 



on lime alone, nor the peach on potash, only that it is a special 

 supply of these that they more particularly require.* 



The Herefordshire orchards suffer much more from moss, 

 parasites, and insects, and less pains are taken to guard against 

 them or to destroy them than is usual in New England. 

 There is a fine moss that will notr easily be detected, that 

 often collects upon the branches, and, diverting the juices of 

 the tree to its own nourishment, eventually, if not removed, 

 destroys the bark ; and limbs are seen frequently thus denuded 

 of their natural defence, and the wood consequently decaying. 

 This is doubtless a common cause of organic disease. The 

 ordinary preventive and remedy for every thing of this sort 

 is to wash the trunk and principal limbs of the tree every 

 year with a weak lye in which it is a good plan to put a 

 little sulphur all insects having a particular repugnance to 

 it.f If there is much dead, scaly bark, it should be first 

 rubbed or scraped^ off. 



Trees should be allowed to branch low and naturally. 

 The &quot; trimming up&quot; and unnatural exposure to the sun of 

 the trunk of the pear-tree is known to particularly predispose 

 it to a most fatal malady. Where trees are properly 

 managed while young, it will never be necessary to prune 

 their limbs in our climate ; and there can scarcely ever be a 

 case where the cutting off a limb larger than a man s arm 

 will not be likely to do more harm than good. Wherever it 

 is done, or wherever a large branch has been blown off, the 

 stump should be squared off neatly, and a salve of clay and 



* Copperas (sulphate of iron) seems to act as a tonic upon trees. If 

 applied to feeble, pale-leaved shrubs and treesj it will often wonderfully 

 invigorate them. It may be dissolved in water. A mild solution of sul 

 phate or muriate of ammonia has a similar effect, but must be used with 

 care. 



t 1 lb. of potash, or 1 quart soft soap ; and 4 oz. sulphur, to 1 gallon 

 of water. 



