66 THE APPLE CULTURIST. 



tant ingredients to make large and luscious fruit. Ashes 

 of all kinds especially unleached wood-ashes will supply 

 potash, which is of eminent importance in the production 

 of fair and plump fruit. Hence every gallon of soap-suds 

 should be poured round about growing trees. During the 

 production of ah 1 kinds of cereal grain, grass, vegetables, 

 and fruit, Nature forms out of sand and potash a kind of 

 liquid glass, which is spread over the leaves, stems, and fruit, 

 to fortify the tender parts from the injurious effects of rust 

 and mildew. Hence, if we top-dress growing wheat with a 

 liberal supply of sand and wood-ashes, the stalks and leaves 

 will be very harsh and stiff, and of a bright color, as Nature 

 was supplied with an abundance of the right kind of mate- 

 rial to form a glassy coat of mail over the surface of every 

 part of the plant. Hence rust could not penetrate the 

 glassy covering. Now, then, if we pile on the wood-ashes 

 and sand, or soap-suds, an elastic, glassy covering will be 

 spread so thickly over the surface of every apple, that rust 

 and cracks on the fruit will seldom be met with. Were a 

 person to cast a barrel or two of soft soap into the street, 

 almost every thoughtful man would rebuke him for such a 

 wanton waste of valuable fertilizing material for fruit-trees 

 or for grain. And yet, after a barrel of soap has been dis- 

 solved and diluted in the wash-tub, it is quite as valuable for 

 fertilizing purposes as before it was dissolved. There is 

 very little danger of spreading too large a supply of wood- 

 ashes around apple-trees. The roots must be fed with 

 proper materials for developing the fruit. Three or four 

 bushels of lime spread around a bearing tree, as far out as 

 the branches extend, wih 1 often produce a fair crop of fruit. 

 The carcass of a dead horse, or cow, if cut up into small 

 pieces, and buried where the roots of an apple-tree will feed 

 on the flesh and bones, will often make an indifferent bearer 

 yield a bountiful crop. Marl is also excellent when used in 

 the same way. 



