"^^ERICAN HERD-BOOTi 



DEVOTED TO 

 AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, AND RURAL AND DOMESTIC AFFAIRS. 



Perfect Agriculture is the true foundation of all trade and industry. — Likbio. 



Vol. XI.— No. 8.] 



3rd mo. (March) 15th, 1847. 



[Whole No. 146. 



PUBLISHED MONTHLY, 



BY JOSIAH TATUM, 



EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR, 



No. 50 North Fourth Street, 



PHILADELPHIA. 



Price one dollar per year. — For conditions see last page. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Praning Young Trees. 



As the time will soon be here when many 

 commence to mutilate their orchards and 

 nurseries, it may not be inappropriate to 

 make some remarks on the best manner of, 

 and time for, performing this important ope- 

 ration. 



The following system I have practiced for 

 years and taken some pains to inculcate, and 

 if its importance can be brought before a 

 class who rarely read, and never purchase, 

 such valuable works as Downing's, Thomas', 

 or Elements of Vegetable Physiology, my 

 object will be accomplished. 



Trees of two years growth — and here let 

 me remark, that if trees of proper form — 

 not too high, and sufficiently thick near the 

 earth to sustain their height, were more in 

 demand, interest, if no higher motive, would 

 soon prompt nurserymen to furnish such, in- 

 stead of the switches now offered — are pre- 

 ferable. These, if properly grown, will re- 

 quire, when transplanted, no stakes to destroy 



Cab.— Vol. XL— No. 8. 



their bark, retard their growth and circula- 

 tion of sap, but may be fastened by raising 

 around their base a hillock of earth six or 

 nine inches high. 



Discrimination and judgment now become 

 necessary, because the stalk increases in 

 thickness only as the number of branches 

 and leaves increase; therefore, permit all 

 new shoots to grow one year, — at least 

 enough to keep up a due proportion between 

 thickness and height. The ascending sap 

 undergoes changes in the leaves, and only 

 then returns as proper juice, to deposit a 

 layer of wood; it will therefore be perceived 

 by the annexed rude drawing, that if the 



branches b and c be removed early in the- 

 season, the trunk will then receive a woody 



C233) 



