230 Notes and Gleanings. 



winter. Nature prunes sparingly, and not by a systematic shortening or cutting 

 back. Nature grows grass, and weeds, and small brush, to protect her young 

 orchards from all extremes. Can we grow orchards in this way ? That is a 

 difficult question to answer, with our present amount of careful experiments and 

 observations. There are scattered instances of complete success in growing 

 pear trees in this way, but I know no one who has attempted to follow Nature 

 closely, and on a large scale. Not but that plenty of trees have been planted in 

 a poor way, in soil poorly adapted to their growth, and then left to their own fate. 

 There is an abundance of neglect everywhere ; but this is not Nature's way. 

 Nature is particular as to soil and climate. She grows her oaks, her pines, her 

 beeches, and her poplars in locations specially adapted to their several wants. 

 Man has not copied her well in this respect. Nature plants the seed where the 

 tree is to grow. Man has not followed her in this particular. It is my impres- 

 sion that her success is far the most triumphant, and that her methods are 

 worthy our attention, study, and a much closer imitation. 



Artificial System of Culture. 



The artificial system of culture produces every^vhere abnormal results. It 

 gives gi'eat growth of wood, but great tenderness. It gives premature fruitful- 

 ness, and fruits extravagantly large, and " fit for exliibition," but painfully rare. 

 It brings troops of diseases and early death. The agricultural press of the 

 country is full of a murmur of waihng over the results of this system. And yet 

 the few bold men who have dared advise a radical change in our methods of 

 managing trees get little gratitude and much abuse. 



Doubtful Points. 



For myself, I am unsettled in opinion as to many of tliese points. I know 

 this — that I have no knowledge of any pear orchard that has endured the 

 systematic pruning, manuring, and cultivation recommended in the books, for a 

 very long tenn of years ; while I do know of many scattered trees which have 

 yielded their annual abundant harvest for a half century of time, and still stand in 

 green and venerable beauty, monuments of something better than the orthodox 

 system of tree management. 



I do not commit myself to anything beyond this — that the comparative 

 results of Nature's method and man's method are worth our pondering. I do not 

 say that orchards should be seeded to grass, for that is a question of soil and 

 circumstances. Especially I do not say that they should be left to the pro- 

 tection of weeds, for there is a better way. But it should not be forgotten 

 that Nature abhors the nakedness of the ground, and hastens to clothe every 

 ploughed field with her mantle of greenness. I only recommend that we try all 

 these ways, and hold. fast to that which gives us the most good pears for the 

 greatest number of years. 



The Curculio. 



Something should be said about " Insects and Diseases," in every well-regu- 

 lated horticultural talk ; and heretic as I am, I will in this respect follow the 



