REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GARDENS. 351 



on good strong land, but I notice some cases of it tliere. It is a 

 waste of time and money to try to grow peaches in a frosty loca- 

 tion. 

 I should be pleased to answer any other questions. 



Yours, 



ARTHUR J. BIGELOW. 



In regard to certain points on which more particular information 

 was desired, Mr. Bigelow wrote as follows : 



Dear Sir : 



Your favor containing inquiries concerning trellises and training 

 of vines is received, and in reply I would make the following 

 statements : 



First, the trellises are formed of two chestnut posts, set two 

 feet in the ground and five and a half feet above ; the distance 

 between the posts at the ground is four and a half feet. The tops 

 are joined by a chestnut strip four feet long, two inches wide, and 

 one inch thick. Beneath this there are four lengths of No. 16 wire, 

 the lowest twenty-six inches from the ground, and those above this 

 a foot apart ; the vines being set eight feet apart in rows, giving 

 three feet between each trellis and the next one. The posts for 

 the trellises are about four inches in diameter ; the wires are 

 fastened to them by staples. 



Trellises made in this way with well seasoned posts will last 

 on my soil from eight to ten years, before the posts rot in the 

 ground. If the ends were charred, or any other preventive of 

 decay was used, I do not doubt that they would last much longer. 

 I prefer the above described trellises on account of the facility with 

 which the general cultivation, the pruning, and the harvesting can 

 be conducted. Although the cost of these trellises may be a trifle 

 more than those commonly in use, I think the greater ease with 

 which the vines can be managed will fully compensate for the extra 

 cost, and feel assured that one who has once used this method will 

 prefer it to any other. 



iSecond, training and pruning is managed as follows : 



During the spring and summer, each cane reserved for fruiting is 

 allowed to grow until it reaches its ninth bud — then its end is 

 pinched off ; which causes the extra growth to go to laterals, and 

 these are allowed to reach three buds in length. The cane is 



