22 THE XUT CULTURTST. 



in protecting seed corn against the attacks of crows and 

 other corn-pulling birds. One pint of warm tar will be 

 sufficient for a bushel of nuts, and the application is 

 readily made by placing the nuts in a barrel, pouring the 

 tar on them, and stirring with a stick until every nut is 

 coated. To prevent the tar sticking to the hands in 

 planting, dust the nuts with dry wood ashes, land plas- 

 ter, or fine dry sand. 



If peach stones are to be planted for stocks they 

 may be put into the ground as soon as ready in autumn, 

 because they are rarely disturbed by vermin ; or if more 

 convenient, mix with common soil, and in heaps, in the 

 open ground, and leave in this position until spring, 

 then pick out as they begin to sprout, and plant. The 

 hard-shelled almond may be treated in the same way, 

 only they are not to be handled quite as roughly as peach 

 stones, and for protection it is best to put them in bar- 

 rels or boxes, as described above. 



When ready for planting take out the nuts and drop 

 them in shallow drills, one every ten or twelve inches, 

 then cover with about two inches of soil. It is to be sup- 

 posed, of course, that a seed bed has been prepared, by 

 thorough working over and enriching, if necessary, in 

 advance of planting. The distance between the drills 

 or rows should be sufficient to admit of cultivating the 

 plants with a horse or mule, and cultivator, during the 

 summer, and if this is done and the soil stirred often 

 enough to keep down all weeds, the stocks should be- 

 come large enough to admit of budding the first season ; 

 if not, then this operation must be deferred until the 

 following year. But in case the seedlings are raised from 

 choice varieties and to be left in their natural condition 

 for fruiting, they may be lifted when one or two seasons 

 old and set where they are to remain permanently. 



The Season for Budding. So much depends 

 upon climate, location, and variation of seasons, that no 



