IHTKODUCTIOtf. 85 



remarked here, as in other parts of the country, that the 

 Peach does not succeed as well as formerly; oftener fails 

 to produce a crop, and is more liable to disease and insects. 

 This deterioration, as elsewhere, is attributed to various 

 causes, but the more common opinion seems to be that it 

 is due to climatic modifications. In the absence of satis- 

 factory data, we are inclined to believe that, in all cases, 

 it was owing more to the change in ailments of the soil 

 than anything else. In new lands, where vegetable mould 

 was abundant, we have never known the Peach, to fail. 

 If the same plant-food could be continuously furnished, 

 we doubt not the same vigor would characterize the tree, 

 and the same crops would be produced. But truly, much 

 is yet to be learned in regard to the Peach. We think 

 that the destruction of the native forests, by thus re- 

 moving their salutary protection may have much to 

 do in preventing the production of peaches. We are 

 now well aware that a screen of this kind, especially on 

 the north and north-west sides of an orchard, is of great 

 utility in protecting both trees and fruit. Many crude 

 and fantastic notions have been entertained and advanced 

 in regard to it. A single incident, some fortuitous circum- 

 stance it may be, has fixed a thought in the mind, and 

 this has produced a theory which has been advanced, 

 advocated, disseminated, and reiterated until it has grown 

 into a popular fallacy. Half a century ago, Mr. Thomas 

 Coulter, of Bedford, Pennsylvania, insisted that the only 

 successful way to obtain a good, healthy peach orchard 

 was to cut down the trees when three years old just 

 before coming in then let the sprouts grow up all 

 around the old stump until they should come into bear- 

 ing, three years after, when they would naturally be 

 reduced to about half a dozen young, thrifty, and pro- 

 ductive trees! Unique and peculiar as this system was, 

 it found many advocates, and was gravely and elaborately 

 supported in erudite treatises! 



