280 



Fear Trees — Fencing, <^c. 



Vol. II. 



murmuring or repining; tiieir bodily powers 

 will be improved and invig-orated, and they 

 will display more mental developement than 

 tiiose with whom a contrary plfin has been 

 pursued. Farmers should procure for tlieir 

 boys, small axes, shovels, forks, dung-forks, 

 rakes, spades, wheelbarrows, scythes, sickles, 

 and in fict every tool necessary for the per- 

 formance of every agricultural or horticul- 

 tural operation. These should all be gradu- 

 ated in weight and size to adapt them to the 

 age and strengtliof their juvenile owner; for 

 they should be possessed in fee-simple by tlie 

 boy for whose use they are intended, and 

 that would be a complete guarantee not only 

 that they would be used with effect at the 

 proper season of business, but that in the in- 

 termediate periods, when not wanted, tliey 

 would be properly respected and cared for; 

 and the approach of the time anticipated, 

 with much pleasure, when they could be 

 brought into profitable requisition. If those 

 who make tools would prepare setts of the 

 different kinds made for mens' use, graduated 

 to the proper proportions for lads, and let them 

 be of a good quality so as really to be useful, 

 and not toys, they would meet with ready 

 sale, and the expense to the purchaser would 

 be small, compared with the benefits derived 

 from them. When a boy grew out of them, 

 although he would be the owner, he would 

 readily convey his title to the next in succes- 

 sion, so that a single sett might serve several 

 in turn, as a pair of pantaloons or a vest de- 

 scends to the next expectant in a provident 

 family. If this plan was carried out by an 

 intelligent father, who would give himself the 

 exquisite pleasure of conversing rationally 

 with his young sons, about the reasons of the 

 various plans and processes of agriculture, 

 and take some pains to get them to under- 

 stand the philosophy of his calling, he would 

 rarely find them indolent or dissatisfied with 

 tlieir business, and less seldom would he dis- 

 cover a disposition to exchange so useful and 

 honorable an occupation, for the more preca- 

 rious and hazardous business of mercantile 

 life. W. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



BligBBt in Pear Trees, 



The cause of the blight in pear trees has 

 frequently been a subject of inquiry. I believe 

 it most commonly attacks trees standing in 

 well cultivated and rich soils. In this I ap- 

 prehend lies the first cause of the disease. 

 I have found from tiie observations that I have 

 made during the last four years, that every 

 tree which bore large quantities of truit was 

 more or less blighted, while other trees of the 

 eame kind of fruit, of the same age, and stand- 

 ing in the same ground, but moderate bearers, 



were not atiected by this disease. Last year 

 I observed that a tree of the pound pear kind, 

 had one of its largest branches so completely 

 filled with fruit that three props were placed 

 under it to prevent its breaking down; a few 

 days afterwards I examined this tree and 

 found that identical branch blighted. The 

 leaves appeared to have been burnt, and the 

 bark was decayed and dried up. I examined 

 another tree in the same orchard having a 

 single branch bligiited, which last year was 

 overloaded with fruit. The other branches 

 were in a vigorous state. The reason I con- 

 ceive why pear trees are more subject to 

 blight in a well cultivated and rich soil is, 

 that they are forced to a higher state of vigor 

 than trees standing on a poor soil or grass 

 land. After a year or two of rich culture 

 they become exceedingly vigorous, make a 

 great proportion of wood, and form numer- 

 ous fruit spurs; and then a favorable year 

 occuring, they are overloaded with fruit. 

 The maturity of this great quantity of fruit 

 checks the growth of the tree, exhausts it, 

 and destroys the vegetative principles. If 

 overbearing be the cause of the fire blight, 

 the obvious preventive is to thin off the fruit, 

 wherever it shall appear to be too much for 

 the tree to bear. 



A. B. 



Lampiler Square, Lancaster Countj. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. /■ 



Fencing and Wliitewasliing. 



Spring having now arrived, it is time tor 

 the whole brotherhood of farmers to be up 

 and doing. One of the first things to engage 

 attention is our fences; let us have them all 

 well mended; and if necessary reset, and if 

 there are any new ones to be made, now is 

 the time to have it d*ne, before other indis- 

 pensable farm operations engage our care 

 and attention. In renewing fences, a remo- 

 val of them, so as to bring the soil under 

 cultivation where a fence has long stood is a 

 great advantage, as it enables you to clean 

 the ground of weeds, briers and sprouts of 

 various kinds, and it oftentimes furnishes a 

 fine spot for a compost heap, handy to where ^ 

 it is wanted. In many parts of our coun- 

 try, where stone is abundant and easily and 

 cheaply procured, I am satisfied we ought to 

 turn our attention more to making stone 

 fences; timber having become so scarce 

 and expensive in many places that keeping 

 up our fences, to adapt the enclosures to our 

 our present mode of farming, is a very se* 

 rious affair. Some persons who have tried 

 stone fence have not been very successful 

 with it, in consequence of not having it well 

 put up. In order to secure it from falling 

 down, more attention should be given to im- 



