CULTIVATION. I 19 



we had two white frosts, most of the Japan plums were killed, all the 

 apricots are killed, and at least three-fourths of the fruit in the culti- 

 vated orchard is killed and some trees have no fruit at all, and some 

 hardy varieties have a fair crop, while all the peach trees in my uncul- 

 tivated yards are full as they can bear of fruit. This experience of 

 two years has at least convinced me never again to plow an orchard 

 until all danger of frost is over. 



"My garden is very rich; is spaded every year with a prong 

 spade. Dirt is not turned over, to avoid injury to the roots as much 

 as possible. These trees have been carefully pruned ; have been shy 

 bearers of fine fruit ; are five years old and are badly sun scalded 

 will barely live another year. 



"A negro man near me had an orchard a few years ago that he 

 annually planted in corn or cotton ; the trees are all dead, but along 

 his fence he put out some trees twenty-five years ago. They have 

 grown in weeds that never have been plowed or hoed or mown down. 

 These trees are still free from sun scald and bearing good crops of 

 fine fruit. 



' ' What does all this mean ? " 



