No. 16. 



Feach Prospeds-^Capons. 



*297 



When you plant a tree, look very carefully 

 for worms, and then be sure to apply the straw 

 before the first of June. But if the tree has 

 been planted more than one or more sum- 

 mers, then dig away the earth down to the 

 superficial roots and search for worms. If 

 gum exudes from the bark, it is almost cer- 

 tain that the enemy is there, and he is to be 

 sought out with a sharp pointed knife, even if 

 it be found necessary to cut away a good deal 

 of the bark; the wound must then be care- 

 fully crammed with well-wrought tough 

 clay and the whole covered with the straw. 

 These wounds will hea] more quickly if 

 made about the first of May, when the sap 

 begins to flow freely and there is a long 

 season of uninterrupted growth. 



The worms are small and white, with a 

 red head. They are the offspring of eggs 

 deposited there by a fty the previous summer. 

 They sometimes completely girdle the tree, 

 that is, eat away the bark through the cir- 

 cumference. Nothing is more easy than to 

 prevent all this evil, by the means above 

 mentioned. 



I have said above that about the first of 

 May is the time to wound trees with the 

 least injury. This is the fact, and hence I 

 am sorry to see axes and saws and chisels 

 employed in almost every street, square and 

 garden in this city, during the winter. 

 Wounds which would soon heal if made in 

 May, will ever remain a rotten stump if made 

 in the autumn or winter. Let the wound be 

 made very smooth with a sharp instrument, 

 then the sap flows freely, a glutinous and con- 

 genial covering is formed, the long growing 

 season succeeds, and before winter the pro- 

 cess of healing is far advanced, if not com- 

 pleted, S. J. 



P. S. The trees of your correspondent 

 may have been too large to be seriously in- 

 jured by the ashes ; mine were young trees, 

 some just planted. But whatever is deadly 

 to the young, cannot be wholesome to the 

 old, though to these it may be less fatal than 

 the worms. 



PeacSi Prospects. j. 



We are happy to learn from Delaware, 

 now becoming celebrated for its Jine peaches, 

 that although the cold weather and frosts 

 have been most trying on the young fruit, and 

 much of it injured, that there is yet enough 

 spared to promise a fine crop — if no future 

 frosts should occur to nip the tender blossoms 

 just bursting from the bud. The great suc- 

 cess of Messrs. Ridgeway and Reeves, near 

 Delaware City, (and who does not remember 

 their fine and luscious peaches of last sum- 

 mer 1) will soon be followed by other equally 

 enterprising gentlemen of Delaware and this 

 <!ity who have gone largely into the business. 



On the Union Farms, near Wilmington, 

 owned, we understand, by Dr. Thomson of 

 that place, and Mr. M. Eayre ot this city, we 

 learn that about 100 acres immediately on the 

 river Delaware, are now flourisliing in peach 

 trees, and that about one half will bear this 

 year, and that by a late arrangement our es- 

 teemed fellow-citizen, I. Reeves, for whom 

 peaches will always grow, has become a 

 partner with these gentlemen in their large 

 concern. Philip Reybold, Esq., the efficient 

 President of the Delaware Agricultural So- 

 ciety, has also, we understand, set out this 

 spring a large orchard. We sincerely wish 

 all these gentlemen the success they merit. 

 Some of the fine peach districts of Jersey, 

 seem of late years to have lost their power of 

 producing, and continuing long lived, the 

 tree that produces this best, in its season, of 

 all fruits. We should like to hear from some of 

 our Jersey subscribers if they can give us the 

 reason, why it is so — and if any clue has yet 

 been found into that most insidious and fatal 

 disease to the peach tree, the yellows ? We 

 hope this hint will be kindly taken, and that 

 all the information that can be imparted to us 

 may be given for the benefit of the readers of 

 the Cabinet, on the interesting subject of rear- 

 ing and of prolonging the existence of the 

 peach tree. A'full and generous supply of 

 this luscious and wholesome fruit, is a matter 

 of great interest and luxury to every one, and 

 our populous districts and cities should not 

 hesitate to hold out the highest premiums 

 and inducements to those who propagate 

 fruit and supply our markets with the finest 

 varieties. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Capons. 



The propagation of poultry, is an item in 

 the common concerns of husbandry, very 

 much overlooked or neglected. Indeed, the 

 greater part brought to our markets, may be 

 justly placed to the account of accident, 

 as the farming community give themselves 

 very little trouble or thought on this subject, 

 except it be in autumn, when they are about 

 making up a load for market. 



The high price and increasing consumption 

 in our Atlantic cities, iscertainly of sufficient 

 importance, to induce a more pointed interest 

 on the part of our farmers, as to the proper 

 mode of rearing and increasing this truly 

 valuable article, the dunghill fowl. 



In taking the liberty of aiding my fellow- 

 citizens in this particular, I hope to be excu- 

 sed for suggesting a course of observation for 

 their future benefit, under the confident im- 

 pression, that they will be abundantly com- 

 pensated both for the time and attention they 

 may devote to this matter. 



In the first place select a breed of large 



