234 PLAIN AND PLEASANT TALK 



growth in herb, shrub, and tree ; and I repeat, as a funda 

 mental consideration, that our SOIL AND SEASON PREDIS 

 POSE FEUIT-TKEES TO EXCESSIVE GROWTH. From this fact 



we should take our start in every process of orchard, nur 

 sery, and garden cultivation of fruit-trees ; and if philoso 

 phically employed it will, we will not say revolutionize, but 

 materially modify the processes of cultivation peculiar to 

 colder climates and poorer soils. In respect to esculent 

 vegetables cabbages, radishes, celery, rhubarb, lettuce, 

 etc., this rank and rapid growth is beneficial, since it is not 

 the fruit but the plant which we eat. The reverse is true 

 in fruit-trees. Observant cultivators have conformed to 

 this indication of nature, in some things ; for instance, in 

 the treatment of the grape. The German emigrants who 

 settled in these parts, having been conversant with vine- 

 dressing in Europe, were usually employed to cut and lay 

 in the vines of such as were desirous of the best gardens. 

 But, gradually, their practice has been rejected, and now, 

 instead of reducing our vines to niggardly stumps, the 

 wood is spared and laid in long. If pruning be close, the 

 vine may be said to overflow with excess of new wood, 

 which does not ripen well. Our remarks more especially 

 apply to regions below 40 of north latitude. 



Below this line, our efforts need not be directed to the 

 forcing of growth, for that, naturally, will be all-sufficient. 

 Our object must be compact and thoroughly ripened wood. 

 These reasonings may be applied to many practices now 

 generally in vogue. 



1 . It is the practice of nurserymen to force their trees by 

 cultivation, and by pruning. It is very well known, to 

 those conversant with the nursery business, that great grow 

 ers and early growers are the favorites (and, so far as an 

 expeditious preparation of stock for sale is concerned, just 

 ly), that slow and tedious growers are put upon rampant 

 growing stocks to quicken them. In some cases manures are 

 freely applied to the soil, as directed by all writers who teach 



