[43] 



On Peach Trees. By Nicholas Hammond. 



Easton, Talbot Co. (Md.) April 1 5th, 1817. 

 Sir, 



Among the papers published in the third number 

 of the third vokime of the Agricultural Journal of the 

 Massachusetts Society, which lately came into my hands, 

 there appears a letter written by you upon the subject of 

 peach trees, mentioning their decline for some years past, 

 and the various remedies employed by you for relieving 

 their diseases and preventing their decay. Well know- 

 ing your zeal in whatever can advance the interests of 

 agriculture in any of its branches, I am persuaded you 

 will permit me to state to you an expedient which has 

 been usefully applied to the improvement of fruit trees in 

 this county, and which may be equally serviceable in 

 other districts of the country. 



The peach trees here appear to be liable to the same 

 disasters and diseases which you describe; and they 

 often wither and decay in the same manner. Pear trees, 

 and other fruit trees, are also frequently aifected, and 

 sometimes suddenly perish, without discovering the 

 auses of their misfortunes. 

 A gentleman of this vicinity, some years ago, observ- 

 ing the condition of his trees, and having unsuccessfully 

 made many applications, at length directed their trunks 

 or bodies to be washed, and well rubbed with soj't soap ; 

 and it is not easy to imagine the early change which ap- 

 peared in their bark and foliage. The bark became 

 smooth and glossy, and seemed sound and beautiful; and 

 he thought the tree was considerably improved in every 

 respect. I have tried the same experiment, and with 

 equal advantage, to apple trees, pear, and peach trees ; 

 and am satisfied they have been greatly benefited by this 

 process. It is used in the spring, and may be repeated 



