100 



Fruit and Fruit Trees. 



Vol. II. 



last spring distributed it among the farmers 

 of that neighborhood. The yield has been 

 good, varying from twenty to twenty-five 

 bushels per acre, thus establishing the fact 

 that it may be successfully grown from the 

 Canadas to Virginia. The editor remarks — 

 "That he thinks it is not liable to rust, as he 

 had fields of fall wheat smartly stricken with 

 rust both sides of his patch of spring wheat 

 while that was totally unin.iured." We may 

 here remark that in those sections of this 

 state where the winter wheat has suifered 

 most from rust, the spring wheat has, except 

 in a few partial instances, wholly escaped, the 

 straw being unusually bright and fine. 



We are glad to see the attention of farm- 

 ers directed to this impoitant grain, not be- 

 cause we suppose it can ever supersede the 

 culture of winter wheat in this state, for it 

 clearly ought not to; but because there are 

 many parts of the country where winter 

 wheat is so uncertain a crop, owing to the 

 culture of the soil, and the roots freezing out 

 in the winter, that it has been nearly aban- 

 doned, and here spring wheat must be one of 

 the most valuable of crops to the farmer. 

 Every (armer should sow a few acres, as it 

 is increasing his chances of remuneration for 

 labor performed on the farm, and lessening 

 the chances of an ultimate failure of that great 

 "staff of life," good bread. 



We are requested to say, that orders for 

 the wheat described above, may be directed 

 to Mr. John L. Peirce, Bulls Head, North 

 Third street Philadelphia. Price $10 per 

 barrel. 



Fruit aod Fruit Trees. 



Select proper seed from healthy trees, 

 sound, ripe and fair fruit. Let the seed be 

 put into sand as they are collected, and put 

 into a cellar, or other cool, damp place, until 

 the proper time to plant them. If the seeds 

 are kept in a warm and dry place, they 

 seldom vegetate after it, and when they do, 

 are generally of a sickly growth, and seldom 

 make large and vigorous trees. 



THE SEED BED. 



The seed bed should be planted in the 

 fall, before the ground is frozen, or as early 

 in the spring as the ground is in a state to 

 be ploughed or spaded. Having selected 

 your seed, prepare the ground to receive it; 

 this should be of good soil, not subject to 

 standing water. Let it be spaded some 

 time previous to planting. Plant the seed 

 in rows, fifteen to eighteen inches apart, 

 from one to two inches deep, according to 



the size of the seed and lightness of the soil. 

 Apples, pears and the like, eight or ten, and 

 stone fruit three or four in a foot, in the rows. 

 Cover them up and press the ground moderate- 

 ly over them. 



Stone fruit should be cracked a little if 

 planted in the spring,which need not be done if 

 planted in the tall. During the ensuing sea- 

 son, and every succeeding season, until the 

 trees are removed, hoe out the weeds, loosen 

 the ground, and then thhi out the seedling 

 plants, (leaving only the most vigorous) to 

 from eight to ten inches apart. Water them 

 occasionally in a drought. 



THE NURSERY. 



After one season's growth either early in Oc- 

 I tobcr, or immediately after the frost is out in the 

 ■spring, trees that have grown about a quarter 

 of an inch or more in diameter and formed 

 '• perfect roots may be taken up and placed in 

 ; nursery rows. Apple and other trees of slow 

 growth which have not attained that size, 

 nor perfected their roots, should remain ano- 

 ther season. The nursery into which the 

 young trees are now to be transplanted, should 

 be in good soil, open to the sun and air. Af- 

 ter being ploughed or spaded, and levelled 

 by raking or harrowing, dig trenches length- 

 wise, from 2| to 3 feet apart; then take up 

 the trees from the bed, prune the roots and 

 top with care, thinning out the branches and 

 roots, cutting oft'the perpendicular or tap roots, 

 and all irregular roots and branches, leaving 

 only such roots as are in or near a horizontal 

 position. Every tree that does not contain a 

 sufficient number of well placed roots should 

 be thrown away. Open trenches six or 

 eight inches deep, and wide enough to admit 

 the roots freely. Dip the roots in water, 

 which will make the earth adhere to them, 

 and place the trees in the trenches from a 

 foot to eighteen inches apart; draw the 

 ground upon the roots, raise the tree a little 

 so that the end of the roots incline a little 

 downvvards ; then gradually fill up the trench, 

 at the same time pressing and packing the 

 ground moderately around the roots. In dry 

 weather, water the trees twice or three times 

 a week with rain water, or water warmed in 

 the sun, about a pint to each tree, until they 

 have thoroughly taken root. Plough between 

 the rows and prune them every spring, keep- 

 ino- them clear of weeds during the season. 

 Trees planted from the seed bed which have 

 not been root grafted, will be fit to bud in the 

 budding season of the summer and fall follow- 

 ing, or to be whip grafted in the following 

 spnng. Those who prefer root grafting are 

 referred to the article on root grafting. 



Peach trees and the like, will be fit for 

 transplanting in two or three years, and ap- 

 ples plums, &c. in from three to five years. 



