i» R A C T I C A L FARMER. 



165 



jiuilbeny plants are injured or destroyed by kind- 

 ness, by be'mg; grown en too ri(di a soil, which 

 causes the wood to be formed faster than it can, 

 be ripened, but the mistakes in its culture will be 

 rectified by time and experience, and the acquisi- 

 tion of tiie plant, will I think, give a new and 

 bright aspect to our silk culture. 



The invention and application of the power 

 loom to weaving silk, by Mr Gay of Providence, 

 will also, I believe, tend to produce a new era in 

 this art. By this valuable improvement it api)ears 

 ihat an indivklnal may, by attending to four looms 

 produce 100 yards a day of woven silk. 



Mr F. said that silk ought not to be viewed as a 

 mere article of luxtii-y. That, witli the improve- 

 ments which theart of silk cidture appeared capable 

 of attaining, not onJy the cheapest sort of garments 

 for laborers might be made of refuse silk, but, he 

 believed, (though he might be too sanguine and 

 somewhat of an enthusiast in his anticipations) 

 that vessels for sea might be fitted with this ma- 

 terial. He thought that the time was ap-jroach- 

 ing when not only the rigging and sails, but even 

 the cables of shij s, &c. would be formed of silk, 

 the cheapest and strongest material whicli nature 

 and art could furnish for those important jmrposes. 



(From the New England Farmer.) 

 TRANSPLABfTlJVG FRUIT TREES. 



Mr Editor : — As the season is fast approaching, 

 %vhich in my humble opinion is the proper season 

 for trans()Ianting most kinds of fruit frees, and as 

 most people entertain different opinions relative 

 to the proper time and method of starting trees 

 from the ntn-sery, and transi)l;tnti!sg, i take the 

 liberty to offer through your valual)le |)a})er, the 

 N.England Farmer, a few practical remarks, that 

 others may profit by my experience, if they see fit. 



My knowledge of the business is founded on 

 practice and observation. I have been personally 

 engaged in the business of transplanting both 

 large and small trees, more or less, for the last 

 twenty years, into all kinds of soil (that we have 

 in this vicinity), and at all seasons of the year, 

 and operated by all of the different methods that I 

 ever saw or heard of. And as far as my observa- 

 tion has extended, I will make a brief statement 

 of the success and disappointments that I have 

 met with. I prefer starting trees from the nursery 

 in the autimm, as the sap at that period is all 

 down and safely deposited in the roots (or some 

 where else) : 1 dig a deep trench about two feet in 

 depth, in a somewhat sheltered situation, and pack 

 or head the trees in as close as I possibly can, 



taking care to sift the dirt well in among the 

 roots; if open spaces are left, the roots will 

 moidd, which injures them very much. The roots 

 being liuried deep, vegetation will be kept back in 

 the spriiigof the year, which will give ample time 

 to jH-eparc the gro\ind, and have it in good order 

 for planting ; likewise the operation of transplant- 

 ing may be delayed some weeks later than if the 

 trees were started from the nursery in the spring, 

 1 manage trees that are started early in the spring 

 in th3 same way. The trees in E- Phinney, Esq.'s 

 orchard in Lexington, that took the first pre- 

 mium of the Massachusetts Agricultui-al Society, 

 about 5 years since, if I mistake not, were all 

 started from the nursery in the autumn, and were 

 not transplanted until after planting the ground 

 with vegetables or grain, the next spring — pro- 

 bably about the 1st of May ; and where will you 

 find another orchard like his; perhaps not in 

 America. A farmer that glories in his profession 

 would profit more, and be more gratified in visit- 

 ing his orchard, than he would the falls of Niaga- 

 ra. In starting trees from the nursery, I am par- 

 ticular to loosen the soil around them with a stiff 

 tined fork, whic!) starts the dirt from the root and 

 prevents the large roots from splitting, or the small 

 fibres from breaking off with the dirt, when you 

 lift the tree. Then with a sharp spade I cut off 

 all the horizontal roots I possibly can, at least 18 

 inches from the body of the tree, if the distance 

 between trees will admit; if the trees are large I 

 cut further. I then raise the tree perpendicular, 

 or nearly so, by a steady pull, after which I imme- 

 diately cover the roots with a wet mat, or some 

 kind of rubbish, to prevent the roots and fibres 

 from drying; if the trees are to be transported any 

 distance they should be matted immediately, or if 

 to head in, or transplant, no time should be lost, as 

 the fresher the roots the better the tree will thrive. 

 , Now, one word about the mutilating process, in 

 which I differ from most practical men, l)oth in the 

 animal and vegetable kingdom. Before plantiv^-; 

 I trim both root and branch ; the roots, by ciittrng 

 off ail ragged ends and bruised places. If ^le-. 

 tree is tender and difficult to make live, I coiceiv 

 all such places with grafting composition (viz. two- 

 parts beeswax", one tallow) ; the tops of the trees. 

 I trim in proportion to the loss csf roots ; the tap 

 roots of trees and plants, or pig's-tails, I never 

 cut off (reader, keep cool !) : I should as soon 

 think of mutilating children's feet, in order, when 

 they become men, they might walk easier. Na- 

 ture has furnished both for very good and impor- 

 tant purposes ; cut them off, and you cut a link 

 out of nature's chain. I was much pleased in 

 reading Mr Claggett's very able remarks in the 

 N. E. Farmer, of the 17ih ult. against the general 

 practice of topping Indian Corn ; his ideas upon 

 that subject, I think, are fuunded upon correct 



