NOTES ON THE WEATHER— TREATMENT OP TREES. 



187 



CONDUCTED BY JOSEPH FROST. 



NOTES UPON THE WEATHEK, &c. 



At the time of writing this (May 21st,) we are 

 able to note somewhat the effects of the past winter 

 upon trees and plants iu this vicinity. All kinJs of 

 of fiuit trees, e.xcepting Peaches, seem to be uninjured; 

 unless something unforeseen should occur, we 

 shall have a large quantity of the different kinds of 

 fruits the coming summer and autumn. 



It was published in many journals that all Peach 

 trees were killed ; in large orchards containiiig hun- 

 dreds of large sized trees, a living one could not be 

 bund ; every person who owned a Peach tree exam- 

 ned it minutely ; the buds appeared to be black and 

 hriveled, the wood and bark discolored — hence they 

 nust be dead. The fact is, that probably not one 

 lerson in a hundred ever before noticed the branches 

 if a Peach tree immediately after it had passed 

 hrough a winter, therefore they would be unable to 

 lerceive the difference in appearance between those 

 his spring and in former years. Last year an im- 

 lense quantity of Peaches throughout Western New 

 Tork were grown, thousands of baskets, more than 

 ver was produced before in one season. Still, during 

 larch of last year, the wood and bark of all Peach 

 rees exhibited much the same general appearance as 

 aey did this season, but notquiteas brown, and fewer 

 lack spots, yet we had enormous crops. Still the 

 ry was, the Peach trees are all killed — and some 

 ven commenced to cut down their orchards indis- 

 riminately. A friend has just informed us that his 

 eighbor, living in the town of Penfield, is cutting 

 own his trees because they are dead, although leaves 

 re pushing out all over the trees. Everybody has 

 i|^d so and so, therefore it must be true ; and when 

 jked if he could not believe his own senses, he was 

 ) stubborn or so ignorant as to say that the shoots 

 •ould wilt and drop as soon as the sap in the tree 

 ■as exhausted. 

 We regret, however, to say that the Peach crop is 

 all appearance wholly destroyed in Western New 

 ''ork for this season. In some loeahties Peach trees 

 ave been killed outright, but they are very few. We 

 Iso hear of some orchards planted last fall of year- 

 Dg trees that are killed to within two or three feet 

 f the ground. 



In the ornamental way, we had standing in differ- 

 nt places Deodar Cedars, and the Cedar of Leba- 



non, unprotected, both of which seem to have with- 

 stood the winter well. Neither the former nor the 

 latter will retain its green foliage during any of our 

 winter months, as it will become a brownish red and 

 drop as the new foliage pushes out the following 

 spring. The Cryptomeria Japonica, has suffered 

 more than either of the above, as they appear to be 

 so much injured that they will not survive. We have 

 noticed the new plant Dielytra Spectahiilh, which 

 remained out last winter. It has thrown up the most 

 vigorous shoots, and being perfectly hardy, must be- 

 come a general favorite, with its beautiful specks of 

 rose-colored flowers. It requires the same treatment 

 as the herbaceous Pceonies, as it is tuberous rooted ; 

 and like the Pceonia too, it resembles it in foliage. 



Dwarf and Tree Box were very badly discolored 

 this winter, as well as young plants of English and 

 Irish Yews ; l.irge plants however, of both of these 

 were not injured. Two very fine specimen plants of 

 golden-barked Weeping Ash were killed outright.. 

 We have made many notes of other things which we 

 may speak of hereafter, connected with the effects of 

 our severe winter. 



oolli 



TREATMENT OF TREES AFTER PLANTING. 



Thousanps of trees and plants have been planted 

 by orchardists, farmers, and owners of village lots 

 last autumn and spring. All are in hopes that they 

 may grow, rewarding them for the money they have 

 expended, by being generous of their shade, e.xhibit- 

 ng beauties in their most attractive forms, and giving 

 n the greatest profusion the most beautiful and lus- 

 cious fruits. This is the ardent desire of every one 

 who plants ; but how few there are who realize it 

 As a whole, probably not one half of the trees that 

 are planted live and grow for two years in succes- 

 sion ; certainly one-fourth do not indicate signs of 

 life at the end of the first season. Thousands of 

 dollars are wasted wholly by neglect and inattention 

 to the wants of the trees. The cause is ea.aily shown, 

 and the eSfect is every where apparent. Tery much 

 depends upon the preparation of the soil before 

 planting, and considerable in the manner of setting 

 out, pruning, &c., to insure the ultimate success of 

 the tree. It is now too late for this season to profit 

 by any remarks we can make under these heads, and 

 our desire is that some may be benffited in our 

 remarks, who have transplanted trees this season. 

 Otherwise the party who furnished them, or the nur- 

 sery from which the trees may have come, receives 

 the whole blame, while the fault lies wholly with 

 himself. 



