2T0. 



5. 



THE FARMERS CABINET. 



75 



vive its unseasonable transplanting. The one 

 sent you was reared from a cutting planted 

 last April, one of the parcels received from 

 Boston at the same time with those put in 

 the box. I have some three times as large 

 as the one forwarded, all of this year's 

 growth. In looking over my Mulbcrrys, I 

 saw the cuttings forwarded iiad some appear- 

 ance of life; therefore, I sent tliem to you to 

 experiment on, as well astiiat you miglit see 

 what constituted a cutting, in case you should 

 €ver want to take any from your plant. 



In reply to your questions, 



1st. Take tlie cuttmgs Irotn any part of the 

 tree which is of the previous year's growth, 

 being careful to have two buds to every cut- 

 ting. They should be cut very neatly, with- 

 out breaking or bruising the bark, and the 

 ends of the cutting immediately covered with 

 grnfter^s, or other cement. 



2d. Age of the tree not essential, from one 

 to a thousand years back. The more thrifty 

 the tree the better. 



3. The whole of the previous year's growth 

 may be used as cuttings. 



4th. If you have five or six trees, I should 

 make cuttmgs of three, layers of two, and let 

 one groio to a tree for the purpose of procuring 

 fruit and seeds. 



5th. The cuttings I sent were received 

 from Boston at the same time with the trees, 

 of which 1 spoke, as well as the one sent 

 you, which came in the same package. 1 

 would recommend that the one I sent you be 

 permitted to grow another year before you 

 use it for cuttings, then use only the branches. 



6th. Cuttings should be taken after the 

 sap has descended and the leaves fallen, and 

 before it begins to flow in the spring, and be 

 preserved m sand or a moist cellar until warm 

 weather, when other trees begin to put out 

 leaves — then plant in a rich, moist or wet 

 soil, (if dry they must be liberally supplied 

 with water,) leaving about one quarter of the 

 length of the cutting above the ground, in an 

 upright position, the earth being packed tight 

 around them to retain the moisture ; it is by 

 no means a bad plan to cover the earth with 

 chaff, as it helps to retain the moisture. 



7th. They generally come through the 

 ground in three or four weeks, sometimes 

 sooner or later, owing to the weather; warm 

 rains bring them on very fast. 



8th. Leaves are not necessary, but on the 

 contrary, would be injurious. 



9th. I have never known any experiments 

 tried with leaves, but should not think them 

 likely to grow. 



10th. This year's growth is best cuttings 

 to be planted next spring. 



11th. Cuttings may be taken from the 

 tree in the fall and kept until spring by pack- 

 ing in sand, moss, or chaff wet in the same 



manner that grafts of pears or apples are 

 kept. 



rjth. My cuttings were packed in damp 

 moss, enclosed in a box, .^hipped from Bos- 

 ton to Piiiladelpiiia, and there reshipped for 

 Camden, cost ijjiOU per one thousand m Bos- 

 ton ; box and freight, &c., extra. 



l;kii. 1 iuive very seldom known a cutting 

 with two buds to produce more than one tree, 

 as the bottom bud forms a root and the top 

 one the branch. 



14th. There is no particular age when the 

 branches become numerous. I have cuttings 

 of this season's growth of three or four feet 

 and two to five branches, the six trees or 

 roots which my father sent were about the 

 size of the one I sent you ; I planted them 

 the past spring, each having only one branch; 

 they now have five or seven each, and 

 will yield me at least twenty cuttings per 

 tree. 



15th. The cuttings I sent you were pre- 

 pared last December, and had been planted 

 in my garden, but failing to grow I pulled 

 them up and sent them to you. Cuttings are 

 very liable to die unless good care is taken 

 to keep them moist, tlie bud or cut worji 

 destroyed many for me last spring. 



16th. It is now too late for you to procure 

 cuttings before next winter. Very probably 

 the cuttings may be obtained at the proper 

 season of D. and C. Landreth, No. 63 Ches- 

 nut street, Philadelphia ;* positively from 

 William Prince and Son, at Flushing, Long 

 Island, (near New York city,) or of George C. 

 Barrett, No. 51 North Market street, Boston, 



I would recommend that you try with one 

 thousand cuttings next spring; the cost is 

 not great and you can obtaim them by the 

 hand of some friend visiting the city; they 

 could be brought in a common travelling 

 trunk without inconvenience. From that 

 number you may stalk the whole peninsula. 



With sincere respect, I remain your 

 affectionate friend and obedient servant, &c. 



A. Webster. 



Cultivation of a new variety of Potato, and 

 destruction of the Red Spider on Peach Trees. 

 — At a late meeting of the London Horti- 

 cultural Society, the President, Mr. Knight, 

 described the culture of a new variety of po- 

 tato, whereby 1000 bushels (each bushel 00 

 pounds) may be obtained as the average pro- 

 duce of an acre. He also stated that he had 

 found a minute quantity of the flour of sul- 

 phur very efficacious in destroying the red 

 spider on peach and nectarine trees and on 

 melon vines. 



[* The Me^srs. Landreths do not furnish rollings. 

 They supply orders, however, for the trees, from eighteen 

 inches and upwards.] 



