252 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



influence, after two or three years, began to show a vigorous 

 growth. The grass was removed annually, and the trees 

 received no cultivation, save perhaps a bushel or two of 

 chip manure occasionally thrown around them. Twenty 

 years after they were planted, the trees next to the wall and 

 buildings were thrifty and had attained a large size, while 

 many of the others had died, a few had grown to one fourth 

 the size of the outer ones, and others were still smaller, 

 mossy, and showing signs of a ^premature old age. Not one 

 third of the trees gave any return of fruit. The wall and 

 buildings kept the soil next them light and moist, while that 

 in the more open field spent all its energy upon the grass. To 

 make an orchard profitable, the soil must be properly culti- 

 vated, till the trees have attained a considerable growth, 

 and show so much vigor and thrift, that their expanded 

 roots may be safely left to provide their own nutriment. 



Pruning. This operation must commence at the plant- 

 ing of the tree, the top of which should always be in pro- 

 portion to the size and number of the roots. If the top be 

 high and spindling, shorten it so as to throw the lateral 

 shoots into a graceful and branching form. The limbs 

 may commence about six feet from the ground. Pruning 

 should be done annually, as the labor is then trifling ; and 

 the expenditure of vital force in maturing wood which is 

 afterwards to be cut off, is thus saved, and the branches to 

 be removed being small, the wounds readily heal. In this 

 case, no covering is required for the wound, as one season's 

 growth will heal it. The top should be sufficiently open 

 to admit the sun and air. 



The best time for trimming is when the tree is in bloom, 

 and the sap in full flow. The proper instrument is a fine 

 saw or sharp knife, and the limb should be cut off close to 

 the remaining branch. The sap at this time is active, and 

 is readily converted into new bark and wood, which speed- 

 ily forms over the cut. But this is a busy season with the 

 farmer, and if he cannot then prune his trees, he may do 

 it when more convenient, taking care to secure the wounds 

 by an efficient covering of salve. Old trees, or such as 

 are growing vigorously and have been long neglected, often 

 require severe trimming, which should always be done in 

 May or June ; and when the wounds are large, they must 

 be covered with a coat of thick, Spanish-brown paint or 

 grafting wax. If they are left exposed, and the growth of 

 the tree be slow, decay will often take place before they 



