190 



;the gekesee farmer. 



CULTIVATION OF THE PEACH. 



Editors Genesee Faemer: — There is no grain 

 crop that is more sensitive of good ti-eatment than 

 the peach crop. In travehng over the country, vi-Q 

 see many orchards tliat are planted out and then 

 left to chance — that is, the owners mean to culti- 

 vate them, but they want to do it when all the rest 

 of the work is done ; and it fre(iuently happens that 

 they do not trim them at all, nor plow them, until 

 winter. Is it any wonder that raising peaches, with 

 such men, is humhug ? 



'N'ow I shall not try to give any particular mode 

 of cultivation that will hold good on all kinds of 

 soils, for my observations lead me to believe that 

 on different soils different treatment is required, 

 and some kinds of peaches will do better on some 

 soils, than others; but nothing else will teach a 

 person tins but experience. It answers best for 

 cultivators in this part to manure their trees heavily, 

 particularly after they commence bearing. If your 

 numerous readers could but come into our orchard, 

 I think I could convince them that it is difficult to 

 put too much manure on peach trees here. Whore 

 we had large heaps of barn-yard manure in our or- 

 chard, the trees have outgrown the rest, and pro- 

 duced by fiir the finest fruit ; (I might here say that 

 the apple trees that were near the manure heaps 

 have not grown near as well as the others ;) but I 

 have seen orcliards only a few miles distant, that 

 manure seemed to do hurt instead of good. So I 

 am certain that no definite mode can be given that 

 will hold good on all soils. 



Here let me say one word about trees. Buy only 

 of good and experienced nurserymen, or men that 

 have had considerable knowledge in the peach 

 business. Now, in proof of this, let me relate a 

 little circumstance that came under my notice this 

 la-st summer. While walking through a gentleman's 

 orchard, about eight days before the earliest peaches 

 should have been ripe, I noticed an Old Mixon 

 peach tree from which a large portion of the top 

 had been cut otf, and in taking more particular no- 

 tice I found a very fine peach, which I took off and 

 showed to the gentleman. He said he thought they 

 -were the finest peaches he ever saw, and they were 

 cutting the top all off to innoculate with. I told 

 him that the peach ought not to ripen yet for three 

 weeks, and in another year or two at most the tree 

 would be dead, which seemed to take him by sur- 

 prise. It is certainly reasonable to suppose that 

 diseased buds will give diseased trees, and that gen- 

 tleman will find it so to his sorrow. Now all sjood 

 nurserymen are very careful to select buds from 

 the most healtliy trees that they can find, and it 

 takes a person of considerable knowledge to be able 

 to judge rightly. 



In my next, I wiU tell you our mode of cultiva- 

 tion. J. L. B. 

 Pennington, N. J. 



Pegging Down Plants.— Wliere it is not con- 

 venient to get pegs, take pieces of bast about eiglit 

 inches long, and put them round the shoots where 

 It 13 wished to fasten them to the ground; then 

 place the two ends together, and press them into 

 the ground with a little dipper made flat at the 

 point. When the ground is damp, is the best time 

 lor pertorming the operation. 



SHELTER FOR ORCHARDS. 



Editors Genesee Farmer: — On reading the 

 extract from D. Edwards' letter, in the April 

 number of the Farmer^ where he says few have 

 died, (apple trees,) "even on the icest side of hiU3|fo 

 and greatly exposed to xcesterhj winds,'''' I am 

 minded of " Cyder PniLUPS " directions, (in that 

 most finished poem of his, "Cyder,") where he 

 says — 



"Who'er expects his laboring trees should bend 

 With fruitage, and a kindly harvest yield, 

 Be this his first concern ; to find a tract 

 Impervious to the winds, begiit with hills. 

 That intercept the Hyperborean blasts 

 Tempestuous, and cold Eiirus' nipping force, 

 Noxious to feeble buds : but to the west 

 Let Mm free entrance, grant; let zephyrs bland 

 Administer their tepid genial airs ; 

 Naiujht fear he. from the west, whose gentle warmth 

 Disciijses well the earth's all-teeming womb, 

 Invigorating tender seeds." 



Let all who love '■'■ orcliarts'''' buy and read Cyd&r 

 Phillips, the most complete poem on the subject, 

 of its time, and the most learned. There he gives 

 a complete description of the fruits of his time, 

 their mode of culture, grafting, and probably all 

 that was then known of the different fruits from 

 which "cyder" or wine, and other potables, were 

 then made. 



" On our account has Jove 

 Indulgent, to all moons some succulent plant 

 Allotted, that poor, helpless m.-in might slake 

 His present thirst, and matter find for toil ; — 

 Now will the Corinths, now the Hasps supply 

 Delicious draughts; the Quinces now, or Plums, 

 Or Cherries, or the fair Thisbeian fruit. 

 Are prest for wines; the Britons squeeze the works 

 Of sedulous bees," &c. 



But I must close for fear of tiring you, and will 

 only say, read '■'■Cyder Phillips.'''' 



Hochester, Ind. CHARLES BEACIvETT. 



J 



PRUNING AND CULTIVATINiG APPLE ORCHARDS. 



Eds. Genesee Farmer: — The more I observe of 

 orchard culture, the more am I impressed with the 

 truth that men prune too much, trim too hiffh, and 

 plant too deep. 



An orchard was planted ten years ago. Two 

 trees were never pruned or trimmed; the rest 

 were, after the most approved English style. They 

 made a good growth, are headed about five feet 

 from the ground, and bear as orchards usually do 

 in the best of Indiana soils — and that is as well, or 

 a little better than in any other western — no, any 

 other State, east or west. 



The two trees branching from the surface are in 

 circumference four times as large as those headed 

 five feet from the surface, and have branches as 

 large as the trunJcs of the other trees, and bear 

 proportionate crops of fruit. 



The plow should never go in an orchard after the 

 first five years of its age. Plow an orchard re- 

 peatedly, which has a poor or icet sulsoil, after it is 

 ten or twelve years old, and you will certainly kill 

 it. Possibly, with a good, rich, dry subsoil, it may 

 live on after a fashion, yet it will be an unprofit- 

 able orchard. If the subsoil is poor or wet, and 

 the trees are properly planted, and the surfiice 

 roots not cut with the plow, it will do a pretty 

 good business, getting from the surface soil all that 

 is necessary for wood and fruit. 



Rochester, Ind. CIIAPvLES BKACKETT. 



