478 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



since been thoroughly tilled every year, yielding 1 

 alternately heavy crops of sugar beets, potatoes j 

 and ruta baga. The trees have also been exa- } 

 mined once, and eometimes twice a year, lor l 

 worms, but have not generally been much infest- 1 

 ed by them. 



This comparative exemption is no doubt in 

 consequence of the various alkaline substances 

 which have been successlLilly used, 'I'he most 

 remarlcable and immediate eHect has followed the 

 use of what is termed " lallen Hme," fresh liom 

 the kiln ; which, when applied in the proporiion 

 of about half a peck to the roots of unhealthy 

 trees, and covered with earth, has restored a 

 healthy color to ihe leaves : and trees which did 

 not look worth a week's purchase, have produced 

 fair crops of good fruit in after years. Ashes 

 from anthracite coal, have also been applied with 

 very good eHect. These applications have usu- 

 ally been made in the spring, but occasionally 

 later in the season. This year, wood ashes were 

 used in June, with a marked benefit. Soap suds 

 also have been applied to advantage. In fact, 

 any substance, which by its caustic quality is de- 

 structive of insect life, must be beneficial, provid- 

 ed it be not applied in quantities sufficient to injure 

 vegetation. It is an interesting and encouraging 

 circumstance, that several substances combine 

 the properties of destructiveness to insect iile, 

 with a direct and positive stimulating efi'ect 

 upon vegetation. In illustration of this fact, my 

 friend Dr. Noble has applied oil soap to a por- 

 tion of his extensive peach orchard, in the state 

 of Delaware, to manifest advantage. 



The mild weaiher of January and February 

 will sometimes bring forward vegetation, so that 

 the peach trees are liable to blossom prematurely. 

 An attempt has been made to obviaie this diffi- 

 culty, by covering the roots about the body of the 

 trees with wheat straw, when the ground is deeply 

 frozen m winter. This process, by retarding ve- 

 getation, has secured them from the danger of 

 the late frosts. 



When, however, an intensely severe frost oc- 

 curs late in winter, eo as to freeze the oferm of the 

 fruit, which is developed very early, all expecta- 

 tion of a crop must be abandoned. This misfor- 

 tune is easily verified, by an examination of the 

 germ, when the embryo peach will be found black 

 and blasted. 



These observations are not set forth under the 

 impression that they are new, for doubtless they 

 are familiar to those enterprising farmers, who, 

 by their successful cultivation, supply our city 

 markets with this most healthy and delicious 

 fruit; — such a universal favorite, that it would 

 be an era in a lifetime, to find a man who did not 

 hke a peach. It is to be hoped that larger and 

 more successful producers, may be induced to 

 favor you with a detail of ilieirmode of operations 

 to the advantage ot the agricultural community 

 and the public at large, whose interesis indeed are 

 identical. 



The writer had the pleasure of examining the 

 extensive peach orchard o!' JVlnjor Reybold, near 

 Delaware City, in the month of May; at which 

 time that enterprising farmer had a prospect, as 

 he stated, of about half a crop. It covered 120 

 acres of land, and contained 12,960 trees. His 

 half a crop has produced 6,000 baskets, which 

 have been chiefly sent to the New York market. 



A remarkable fact in connexion with the produce 

 of this and the neighboring orchards, was men- 

 tioned by him and confirmed by several other 

 gentlemen of that vicinity. A cold north-west 

 breeze had prevailed during an alternoon while 

 the trees were in bloom, which was accompanied 

 in the evening by so severe a Irost, that the total 

 failure of the peach crop was amicipated. About 

 11| o'clock at night the wind changed to south- 

 east, which blowing over Delaware ttay, so far 

 modified by its mildness and moisture the air of 

 ihut portion of ihe orchard which was nearest 

 the water, and descended towards it, that the 

 blossom was saved. The other portion of the 

 same orchard, which inclined inland, and had re- 

 ceived the full force of the cold blast, was almost 

 a toial lailure. 



From the healthy appearance and vigorous 

 growth of many of my trees, I have a hope of 

 securing a degree of longevity for them so desira- 

 ble, considering ihe care and expense inevitable 

 in their cultivation. Several oi' ihem are now 

 about six inches in diameter, a loot from the 

 ground, and the produce this year is estimated at 

 from 30 to 40 bushels. 



That peach trees are capable of attaining to 

 considerable longevity, can be attested by many 

 of your readers, who may remember them strug- 

 gling lor years in the hedge-rows of bushes, 

 which were wont to adorn the fences of old 

 tashioned farmers. There is now a tree in the 

 garden of a lady in Arch street, Philadelphia, 

 planted 25 years ago, which this season produced 

 a good crop of fruit. WilliRui Cobbett, also, in 

 his valuable litile treatise, "The American Gar- 

 dener," page 199, refers to a peach tree in France, 

 in full bearing, as 50 years old. 



Morris Longstreth. 

 Valley Green. 



USE OF CAMELS ON THE WESTERN PRAIRIES. 



From tlie New Genesee Farmer. 



Mr. Editor. —The writer of this is a native of 

 Russia, and has spent many years of his life in that 

 portion of the empire which borders on the Ural 

 and Volga rivers, ncrih of the Caspian sea. 



I have, during the last two years, visited many 

 parts of the United Siaies ; lately I have been in 

 Missouri, Iowa and Wisconsin, and during my 

 journeyintrs have had the liici strongly impressed 

 on my mind, that the camel would prove a most 

 valuable animal lor burden in those prairies, and 

 especially lor traversing the country west even of 

 ihe stales I mention, where water is sometimes 

 not Ibund lor dnys. 



Camels used only (or travelling possess great 

 speed, and in the unsettled country would be 

 Ibund good to carry mails and convey intelligence. 

 Their speed is great, 120 miles being a common 

 day's travel lor speedy animals. 



Some individuals have expressed to me doubts 

 of their being useful in ihis latitude. 1 mention 

 the place of my birth only to show the most 

 doubling, that in a more rigorous clime they are 

 extensively used. The breeding of camels is not 

 more expensive than horses. 



You, no doubt, are informed with regard to 

 this subject, and I am convinced can give to per- 



