ON FRUIT TREES. 93 



from grass or weeds, hoeing three times a year. Since plant- 

 ing out in 1S4S, the trees have been manured once by about 

 two shovels of well rotted manure to each tree. 



My object in using unworked trees for a part of the ground, 

 is an experiment. It has been advanced by some pomologists, 

 that the tap root was necessary for the perfection and longevi- 

 ty of the tree. Although we could not get the whole of this 

 root, we were able to get from one to two feet of it. The 

 seeds of these natural trees were planted in earth that had been 

 moved, (the bank of the turnpike,) and the tap root had pene- 

 trated to the depth of three or four feet into the bank, with few 

 lateral fibres, and after transplanting, in removing some ordi- 

 nary trees, I found that the lower end of the tap had started 

 again downwards. 



I think there is little doubt but fruit will be taken from these 

 trees in the course of three or four years; the natural trees may 

 be some later, but I think not much. The grafter, who has 

 made grafting and pruning his business for fifteen years, and 

 who has laid up many good ideas upon the Avorking of trees, 

 thought he should be as willing to take the chance of the natu- 

 ral as the nursery trees. 



Some Pear trees, set out and grafted since 1S46, about thir- 

 ty in number, are likewise presented to your notice for premi- 

 um. These trees were taken from the forest, in a perfectly 

 wild state, of diiferent sizes and ages. They were trimmed 

 root and branch of all their superfluous wood, viz. roots that 

 Avere injured, and very long roots shortened, and were careful- 

 ly set in a garden soil and cultivated with the garden, and gen- 

 erally grafted the second year after transplanting. They are 

 now far in advance of nursery trees which I set out in 1844 in 

 the same soil. They were of different sizes, several being ten 

 feet high, and all promising. They were set from ten to fif- 

 teen feet apart, in a part of my garden where formerly was a 

 blacksmith's shop. Several of them the present season have 

 made from two to three feet of wood, none less than one foot. 



It was remarked by one of the committee, when viewing 

 the trees, that the ground was very suitable for trees. Whether 

 the ferruginous ingredients of the soil, or the charcoal, (which 



