PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 361 



will depend on the variety; and in trimming one should under- 

 stand the habit of the tree in hand. 



Dr. Peck. — The gentleman's trees should be cut back this comino; 

 spring. If delayed till fall there will be a growth of weak branches. 

 By trimming in the spring, on the bursting of the buds, and let- 

 ting only the branches required grow, there will be health and 

 vigor. 



Mr. Quinn. — Trees take great damage by being planted in the 

 fjiU. If they are not cut back then, they are too top-heavy for 

 the roots, and they work loose. One should have a clear under- 

 standing of the shape he wants. 



Peach Buds. 

 Mr. Wm. C. Davidson, Milford, Kent county, Del., says he has 

 examined with great care a large number of peach buds from vari- 

 ous orchards in this county, and finds that at least four-fifths are 

 still perfect, and our winter is such as to justifj^ experienced grow- 

 ers in predicting a full crop of this delicious and profitable fruit. 

 The winter has been the most severe known in thirty years, yet 

 the mercury has not indicated lower than six degrees below zero. 



Plant Lice. 



Mr. R. Huntington, Amesbury, Mass., says: "I would like to 

 learn a remedy for plant lice, if there is one, as we have some 

 valuable plants completely overrun with them, and we have tried 

 various remedies without eifect. 



Mr. Thos. Cavauach. — If in a house, fumigation with tobacco is 

 a good remed3^ But there are various kinds of plant lice. Some 

 are killed with a wash of whale-oil soap. The little red spider is 

 very injurious and hard to kill. 



Dr. J. V. C. Smith. — Spiders always are carniverous, and are 

 our best friends. They are seeking food in some other animal 

 which does the mischief. 



Mice in Orchards. 

 Mr. Samuel R Downing, Westchester, Pa., writes : I have 

 mixed snuff with soft soap, and washed my young fruit trees two 

 or three times every winter, and now, for three years I have not 

 been troubled with mice or rabbits. I always keep the snow 

 away from the trees. It is a good time now to collect nests of 

 every description deposited on the trees and burn them. 



