No. 12. 



Slitting Fruit Trees. 



377 



diseases. The voice of ages has pronounced 

 it such, and slitting is the remedy which has 

 been applied. And I would here assure the 

 writer before alluded to, tiiat where he finds 

 a custom sanctioned by universal practice, 

 he may be sure there is something- in it. 



Others may apply a different cure for 

 this disease, and sometimes unconsciously. 

 Whitewash applied to the bark of trees, 

 acts, there is no doubt, more beneficially, by 

 softening and removing the superfluous in- 

 tegument, than in any other way. 



Where the direction of the greatest 

 strength of the bark runs vertically, as in 

 most forest trees, this disease called hide- 

 hound, is not likely to occur; as the bark 

 readily splits into seams, and thus accommo- 

 dates the increased size of the wood until it 

 is finally loosened and falls ofl^. In the 

 sweet-gum, the obstinacy of the bark in the 

 latter particular, is curiously exemplified. I 

 have one growing, which is not thicker in 

 the wood than my finger, but the bark is at 

 least four inches in circumference, and chan- 

 nelled with deep seams extending in nearly 

 to the wood, and passing up spirally like the 

 thread of a very quick screw. 



Now as to my experience in the slitting 

 of the bark of fruit trees. On coming to the 

 place where I now reside, four years since, 

 I found several plum and quince trees which 

 were but cumberers of the ground, as they 

 produced no fruit to glad the eye or the 

 taste. They had received all the ordinary 

 attention of pruning, digging, &c. From 

 tlie appearance of the trees I was induced 

 to try slitting at once; which was performed 

 freely on the branches as high as I could 

 conveniently reach, to the ground — say three 

 or four incisions to the tree. These incis- 

 ions are now filled with one inch wide, each, 

 of new bark. This, with the further ordi- 

 nary treatment, has brought the trees into 

 full bearing, though in the case of the 

 plums, unfortunately the depredations of the 

 curculio have hitherto prevented any of the 

 fruit from reaching maturity. This experi- 

 ment in slitting, has satisfied me of its util- 

 ity. While writing, I will say that I have 

 this year, however, the prospect of enjoying 

 some of the fruits of ray labours; as by re- 

 moving one of the largest plum trees from 

 the garden to ground to which the poultry 

 has free access, the young fiuit has been 

 less molested, and I expect in another year 

 will entirely escape; as when the fruit falls, 

 the grub is industriously sought and plucked 

 out by its natural enemy, the feathered tribe 

 — in this case the poultry. 



I intend to remove the balance of the 

 plum trees from the garden next spring. 

 The tree above spoken of as promising fruit, 



which is from fifteen to eighteen inches in 

 circumference, was removed in the fore part 

 of April. Tills was planted in the following 

 manner. 1 have planted some two hundred 

 fruit and forest trees this spring in this way, 

 and they bid fair to thrive, almost without 

 an exception. Trees obtained from the 

 woods, such as oak, ash, beech, «Sk:c., are ad- 

 mitted by all to be hard to transplant suc- 

 cessfully, as the roots are large runners, 

 with but few fibres, which are the really 

 important part. The beeches thus obtained 

 have made from eight to ten inches of new 

 wood on the main shoots already, though 

 they have been put out less than two months. 

 To many of your readers it may not be ori- 

 ginal, though to others I apprehend it will 

 be new. It was communicated by a distin- 

 guished manufacturer on the Brandywine, 

 who is as well skilled in the art and mystery 

 of rural life, as in his fabrics ; and whose 

 place, I am told — though I have not seen 

 it — might almost compare with " Hagley," 

 which Lyttleton, "by his taste in rural orna- 

 ment, rendered the most attractive residence 

 in England." He confesses to having ob- 

 tained the secret from his lady — so that 

 whatever credit there is in the matter be- 

 longs to the fair part of the creation. It 

 was communicated as being adapted particu- 

 larly to evergreens, but I have extended it 

 to all, with the greatest apparent success. 

 It is simply this; — Dig a hole sufficiently 

 wide and deep — but not too deep — to receive 

 the roots of the tree ; put back of the top 

 soil, sufficient to fill the hole half fiill. 

 Then add sufficient water — not well or 

 spring water, if it can be avoided — to re- 

 duce this into a thin mortar or mud ; incor- 

 porate well, and place the tree in its posi- 

 tion, working it up and down till it reaches 

 the bottom of the hole ; now complete the 

 filling, and tread down gently. The tree 

 will at first appear loose and slightly sup- 

 ported, but in twenty-four hours, or as soon 

 as the superfluous water has passed away, 

 the tree will appear to have grown there; 

 and if not large will do very well without 

 support. To protect the tree against the 

 droughts of midsummer, it is my practice to 

 raise a mound of earth from four to eight 

 inches around the body, to be removed after 

 the first season. It should be dishing to- 

 wards the tree. 



To persons who propose transplanting 

 trees of considerable size next fall or spring, 

 I would recommend to them to go at once 

 and dig a ditch around the tree at a distance 

 that will leave sufficient root, carrying the 

 ditch below all the roots, and cutting them 

 ofl!' in its progress down, and again refilling 

 the ditch. The remaining roots will imme- 



