LS1J). 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



77 



RETARDING THE GROWTH OF FRUIT TREES. 



Mb. Editob : — Can the blossoming of Peach Trees be 



retarded l>y any means affecting their roots only? Straw, 

 coarse manure, &c, laid round the roots in w inter will retain 

 the frost in the ground several days, and perhaps several 

 w eeks after it is out of the ground not so covered. But will 

 the blossoming of the tree he thereby retarded I 



If the blossom buds are in a temperature sufficiently ele- 

 vated, will they expand fully and independently oj thecon- 

 jition of the roots'? II' they will, then the first and second 



questions must be answered in the negative. In the latter 

 part of March or lore part of April last, the end of a peach 

 limb was covered up in a pile of fermenting horse-stable 

 manure, which was thrown into my garden. In a few days 

 after I extricated the limb, and it was in full bloom. The 

 blossoms appeared to he perfect, though somewhat compres- 

 sed from mechanical pressure. Not a blosom appeared on 

 any other part of the same tree, (or any peach tree in the 

 garden. ) till more than ten days after. C. Paulk. — Honeoye 

 Falls N. Y., 1849. 



Remarks. — As the immediate effect of heat will 

 rouse the vital forces of regulation, so in the same 

 degree will frost retard it. By covering the roots 

 with straw, leaves, or saw dust sufficiently to exclude 

 the heat from penetrating, the vital actions will of 

 course be retarded for some time, and thereby the 

 blossoming. Blossom buds will expand fully inde- 

 pendent of the roots. We have cut branches of 

 Peaches, Apricots, Almonds, Cherries, and even 

 Lilacs, and put them in water in a temperate room, 

 (the water must be changed regularly,) and in three 

 or four weeks the blossoms were fully expanded. Of 

 course they are not perfect. 



A branch of a tree can be forced with a very good 

 effect, independent of the temperature of the roots, 

 (extremes excepted.) For instance, we have seen 

 Apricots and Peach trees trained against a wall, and 

 in order to get a succession of fruits, part of the trees 

 were covered with glass, (common hot bed sashes 

 were placed against the wall,) and by the time those 

 parts that were not covered were in flower, that part 

 under glass had fruits nearly half grown. The ground 

 where the trees stood was not much frozen. 



The heat of horse manure caused the excitability 

 of vegetable action on your Peach limb, independent 

 of the situation of the roots. 



We may as well mention here for the benefit of 

 those who are unable to raise Apricots, Nectarines, 

 inc., on account of the ravages of the curculio, that 

 trees planted against a house or wall, and glass placed 

 before them, (during the time the curculio is in exist- 

 ence) will prevent this " great destroyer" from opera- 

 ting, and a sure crop of fruits may be expected. The 

 fruits will be earlier and often larger. 



Superior Grafting Wax — The following mix- 

 ture, viz: 



1 pint linseed oil ; 6 lbs. rosin ; 1 lb. bees-wax, 

 makes a better and cheaper wax, than any I have used 

 made from rosin, tallow and beeswax. The oil will 

 admit of a much greater proportion of rosin than the 

 tallow. This wax will give entire satisfaction to 

 those who use it — T. G. Yeomans, in Horticulturist. 



Return of Mr. Barrv. — We learn by Telegraph, 

 just as this number is going to press, that the Editor 

 of this department of the Farmer, has arrived at New 

 York, on his return from Europe. He will conse- 

 quently soon be "at home;" and will probably make 

 amends, in future numbers, for any lack of attention 

 to inquiries of correspondents during his absence. 



BUFFALO HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



At the Animal Meeting of the Buffalo Horticultural So- 

 ciety, held at the Secretary's Rooms on Wednesday, Feb- 

 ruary 1 i tli, 1849, the President in the Chair, it was— 



Resoltfea, That the Society proceed to the election of offi- 

 cers for the ensuing year. 



Messrs. J. R I.ee. IS. Hodge, and ('. F. S. Thomas were 

 named a Committeo to nominate officers. 



Mr, \\ . K. Coppock, in a neat and appropriate ad 

 respectfully declined being a candidate lor re-< lecti 

 President Mr, W. B. Coleman also declined being a candi- 

 date for the office of Secretary. 



The Committee reported the following list of officers, which 

 were unanimously elected: 



President — William R. Coppock. 



Vice Presidents — Lewis Eaton, Orlando Allen, H. P. Pot- 

 ter, G. F. Pratt, H. W. Rogers, Abner Bryant, Joseph Dart, 

 jr., W. W. Mann, Charles Taintor. 



Treasure) — John R. Lee. 



Corresponding Secretary — Benjamin Hodge. 



Recording Secretary — C. F. S. Thomas. 

 standing committees. 



On Flowers and Flowering Plants — Messrs. C. F. S. Thora- 

 mas, J. Dart, jr., and J. W. Brown. 



On Fruits — Lewis Eaton, C. Taintor, and Lewis F. Allen. 



On, Vegetables. — H. W. Rogers, J. D. Shcppard, and H. A. 

 Parsons. 



On motion, it was resolved that the Gold Medal awarded 

 to the Society by the State Agricultural Society, remain in 

 the keeping of the President, to be handed over to hi- suc- 

 cessor in office. 



Resolved, That the Society's first and second premiums 

 for the best display of Vegetables during the season of 

 1848, be awarded as follows: — To Mr. J. Keel, first premium, 

 $5. Robert Dickinson, second, $3. 



The propriety of offering premiums for the ensuing year 

 was discussed and concurred in. The list will be published 

 in due time. 



Resolved, That the sum of $10 be paid to the publishers 

 of the several daily papers and of the Western Literary 

 Messenger, providing they publish the proceedings, reports 

 and notices of the Society. Adjourned 



C. F. S. Thomas, Rec. Sec 1 ]/. 



GENESEE VALLEY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



At a meeting of the Horticultural Society of the Valley 

 of the Genesee, held February 5th, 1849, the following 

 officers and committees were elected for the ensuing year. 



President — Levi A. Ward. 



Vice Presidents — John Williams, Rochester; Alfred Fitch, 

 Riga; H. P. Norton, Brockport; Asa Rowe, Sweden; Zera 

 Burr, Perinton. 



Corresponding Secretary — Leander Wetherell. 



Recording Secretary — J. A. Eastman. 



Treasurer — James H. Watts. 



Committee on Fruits — P. Barry, chairman; M. G. Warner, 

 J. W. Bissell, S. Moulson, F. F. Backus. J. J. Thomas, 

 Isaac Hills, Edward Roggin, Samuel Miller, H. P. Norton. 



Committee on Trees, Shrubs and Flowers — Geo. Ellwanger, 

 chairman; Francis Brown, jr., Wm. King, S. G. Crane, 

 Henry Billings. 



Committee on Vegetables — Jason W. Seward, chairman; 

 James P. Fogg, J. Rapalje, S. E. Alden, L. B. Langworthy. 



Committee on Botany — Leander Wetherell, chairman; ii. 

 H. Smith, J. W. Seward, J. M. Whitney. 



Committee on Entomology — N. Goodsell. 



Executive Committee — Levi A. Ward, John Williams, P. 

 Barry, Geo. Ellwanger, J. W. Seward, L. Wetherell, N. 

 Goodsell. 



Wire Fence.— Our Seneca Falls friend, who inquires for 

 information on this subject, is referred to the articles of Mr. 

 Adams, in this and the January number of the Farmer. We 

 think his plan the best we have received ; and we are of the 

 opinion that it \\\\\pay. It is best, however, for those who 

 have any doubts to try the experiment on a small scale at 

 first. It is our intention to test the matter the present sea- 

 son, or have it tested in this vicinity, and shall of course take 

 notes in order to report the result for the information of our 

 readers. 



In Grafting take care that the bark of the graft anil the 

 bark of the stock meet and join on one side. 



