TOL. XIX. NO. 4fi. 



AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER. 



363 



leaving those only which extend nearly at right an- 

 gles with tlie stem, the object being, to induce the 

 roots to Birike in a horizontal direction not more 

 than six or eight inches below the surface of the 

 earth; but tlie headintr down of the trees before 

 plantinij, with .-i view to ,'j;ive them figure in the 

 first instance, is often earned too far by those who 

 consider that by cutting them very low, they give 

 strengtii to the tree: it is requisite, however — 

 should the wish be to form an orchard of half-stan- 

 dard trees, which is strongly recommended in pre- 

 ference to those of very lofty growth — tliat a cer- 

 tain nundier of primaiy branches be found at a 

 short distance from the ground, and they must 

 therefore be procured by pruning. Suppose then, 

 that only one erect shoot, about a yard in length, 

 be produced froin the graft; then it will be neces- 

 sary to cut it back lo the length of six inches above 

 its origin, by which means three or fourof tiie eyes 

 remaining will be excited to send forth as many 

 shoots ; these might afterwards he shortened at 

 discretion, according to their strength — the weaker 

 to be cut closer than the stronger — and thus a true 

 balance will be given to the members of the tree. 

 Gardeners differ with respect to the proper seasons 

 of heading down, some insisting that they ought 

 not to undergo the operation until they have passed 

 over one entire year after the planting ; but after 

 trying every method, the best appears to be, if a 

 strong young tree be planted just before the leaves 

 fall or have quite changed color, it ought not to be 

 pruned during that autumn or winter, but in the 

 following spring: just when the buds begin to 

 swell, it may be cut back with safety and more 

 certainly than at any season of the second year, and 

 for this reason : if the pruning be performed at the 

 time of planting, say October, the wounds remain 

 exposed unhealed, to the fickleness and severity of 

 the winter; but if the tree at the commencement 

 of the fallowing April, be sufficiently vigorous to 

 enlars^e its buds, it will be equally so, to effect the 

 developement of three or four of its lowest eyes, 

 and thus to produce as many branches, at a season 

 when the vital fluids of the glandular coat of the 

 bark will produce healthy granulations over the 

 wounded surfaces : but were the shoot or shoots 

 left wholly uiipruned, the leading buds alone might 

 advance and leave a great length of wood or two 

 different years' growths to be cut back to the prop- 

 er distance above the graft. 



"TheobjO'tof pruning young trees is to pro- 

 duce a tree with a regular, open head, with radia- 

 ting brandies, as nearly as the habits of the tree 

 will permit, from a central stem, obliquely ascend- 

 ing to a certain angle. Lindley's observations on 

 the regularity of a well-pruned tree, are practically 

 correct: he says, if this be effected at first, there 

 will be no dilhculty in keeping it so afterwards ; 

 but particular care must be taken in pruning, to 

 cut to tliat bud immediately on the inside next to 

 the centre of the tree, or to that immediately on the 

 outside — by these means, on viewing the tree from 

 the outside, the branches will a|)pear in a perpen- 

 dicular line from the eye ; whereas, if pruned to a 

 bud on the right or left side of the branch, the 

 young shoot will be produced in that direction, and 

 every branch will appear crooked, the regularity 

 and beauty of the tree being thus destroyed in one 

 year's pruning. 



" As to the proper time for general pruning, 

 there are two seasons of vigorous growth, the one 

 in May, the other in July, and the critical period 

 appears to be just after the July shooting has taken 



place ; then the wood will be firm, and the fluids 

 of the tree, although not quite inactive, will be in a 

 stale of comparative quietude, yet producing granu- 

 lation over the wounded surfaces ; but if the 

 branches be cut back at or before the season of the 

 July shooting, tlie lower buds will bo stimulated to 

 produce in most cases a multitude of weak shoots, 

 all of which must afterwards he cut out. or if one 

 only be left, it has to undergo the same treatment, 

 and with a similar result: thus, time is lost, the 

 powers of the tree are taxed to no purpose, and no 

 fruitful buds are obtained. The winter pruning 

 may be understood as that period just preceding 

 the enlargement of the buds in March or April, be- 

 cause the fluids excited by the spring influences, 

 are ready at their first flow, to heal the wounds, 

 and produce the depository of new vegetable mat- 

 ter : it is the torpid condition of a wound which 

 causes disease under the action of cold, frosty 

 winds, snow, or protracted wet during the winter. 

 But some object that a tree will bleed, if the knife 

 be used in the spring; facts, however, do not bear 

 out the assertion tliat injury will arise from this 

 circumstance, even in the case of the vine, although 

 the watery sap from that tree will flow from the 

 point of tlie wound for days. If care be taken to 

 prune young trees properly for the first three or 

 four years, they might then be left to themselves 

 in a great measure, to form the figure which the 

 nature of the variety inclines it to assume.'" 



J. E. 



Prom the same. 



WATER-PROOF DUBBING FOR LEATHER. 

 Keep your feet dry and head co d. 



To render leather water-proof, and at the same 

 time to preserve its elasticity, is a matter of great 

 importance, as it increases its durability, and pro- 

 tects those who apply it to shoes or boots from the 

 mischievous effects arising from damp or wet feet. 

 The following receipt followed out carefully, it is 

 believed, will effect this object. 



'I'ake a pint of linseed oil, two ounces of bees- 

 wax, two ounces of spirits of turpentine, and half 

 an ounce of Burgundy pitch, and slowly melt them 

 together, continuing to stir them so as thoroughly 

 to incorporate them, being careful not to set the 

 mass on fire, as the ingredients are all combustible. 

 When this compound cools, it will be found to be 

 about as elastic as leather ought to be. If it were 

 liarder, it would cause the leather to crack or 

 break when bent; and if it were softer, water 

 would enter and wash it out. To apply it, re-melt 

 it, warm the shoes or boots, and put it on with a 

 small brush, or a sponge, or piece of cloth tied on 

 the end of a stick ; continue lo warm it in till the 

 leather is well saturated with it, and particularly 

 the bottoms of the soles and heels. It should al- 

 ways be applied when the boots or shoes are new, 

 and then lay them by to season for some time be- 

 fore wearing. Leather thus treated will be found 

 impervious to water, and will wear twice as long 

 as that to which it has not been applied. The wri- 

 ter has used this article for many years, and can 

 testify lo the great benefits derived from it ; and 

 he has no doubt but his shoemaker's bill has been 

 reduced to one half by the use of this composition ; 

 and what has been saved in doctors' bills he is una- 

 ble to estimate. 



Common grease applied to leather lends to rot 

 it, and it is soon washed out in wet weather. O. 



CULTIVATION OF THE PEACH. 

 By T. Hancock, Nurseryman, Burlini^lon, JV. J. 

 The peach tree is very extensively cultivated 

 throughout New Jersey, and large quantities of the 

 fruit are annually sent lo the Now York and Phila- 

 delphia markets. Since the opening of the com- 

 munication by railroad between these two cities, 

 through the interior of the Slate, it has been the 

 means of greatly increasing the number of peach 

 orchards, and many large and extensive plantations 

 have been made. Within a few years, from the 

 increased facilities of rapid and safe transportation 

 by railroad, between Boston, Providence and Ston- 

 inglon, the eastern cities have been supplied, to a 

 very great extent, with New Jersey peaches, and 

 the opening of such a market has induced cultiva- 

 tors to plant more extensively, in order to supply 

 the demand. The crop proves a very profitable 

 one for the light soils of a portion qf the State, as 

 the trees flourish very well where the land is not 

 sufficiently good to produce but a very few bush- 

 els of corn to the acre. 



If the few following remarks, in relation to our 

 mode of cultivating the peach, will interest your 

 readers, you can give them a place in your pages. 

 I have ail orchard of some extent, and have, in 

 some seasons, gathered a very large crop. 



When it is intended to plant out a good orchard 

 of trees, we oenerally select an elevated position, 

 entirely unprotected by any timber or shelter of 

 any kind: if a situation can be selected near the 

 bank of a river, the crop is more certain, as the 

 trees better withstand the frosts, which occasional- 

 ly do much damage. 



Plough, and put the land in good condition for 

 corn or vegetables, and plant the trees twenty feet 

 apart each way. Continue to till the land, taking 

 off a crop of peas, beans, potatotes, or something 

 that does not grow too high ; wheat, rye and oats 

 are very injurious and should not be planted. The 

 land must not remain without tillage, as the trees 

 would soon be injured ; indeed nothing will kill a 

 fine peach orchard sooner than to let it lie in 

 sward. 



The trees should be two years old on the stock, 

 (from seed,) and one year from the bud, (the year 

 after budding.) This is considered as the beat 

 age for transplanting. If the water stands near 

 the surface of the soil, or if the land has springs 

 near the top of the ground, I should not deem it 

 advisable to plant with the expectation of very 

 certain crops. I have lost two orchards planted in 

 this manner, while, in an adjoining field, where the 

 land, or a part of it, was high, with a dry subsoil, 

 the trees flourished and produced abundant crops. 

 Lin-ht sandy soil, or light loam, we consider the 

 most preferable for planting out peach orchards, 

 and 1 should judge that on many of the elevated 

 knolls, in the vicinity of Boston, the peach might 

 be cultivated to good advantage, particularly the 

 earlier varieties. It is at least well worthy of trial. 

 Yours, respectfully, 



T. HANCOCK. 



— Mag. of Hort. 



Durable Whitewash. — To make whitewash dura- 

 ble and prevent it from cracking, the water in which 

 the lime is mixed should be fully saturated with 

 salt before the lime is put in. 



The average number of inhabitants to a square 

 mile in Ireland is 275, in England 236, and in Chi- 

 na 230. 



