12 On Peach Trees. 



the bark dead, up to the place above whence the earth 

 had been removed, as ifa fire had been made round the 

 tree, and the top as fresh as usual ; it however died, with 

 the approach of warm weather. The observation, that 

 peach trees flourish in hedge rows, &c. I know is 

 -accurate ; they also flourish in most places where the 

 body is shaded; this I attribute to their being preserved 

 from the effects of the sudden transitions, from heat to 

 cold, and from cold to heat, which I apprehend are 

 more destructive to peach and cherry trees, than in- 

 sects, as I have had hundreds of fine trees to perish in 

 one summer, after an irregular winter, without being 

 in the least injured by worms. 



Among many reasons for the opinion, that irregular 

 winters are destructive to peach trees, one is, that from, 

 good authority, said trees live in Cape May county in 

 this State, to the age of 30 or 40 years ; an age, which 

 I attribute to situation, the county being half surround- 

 ed by the waters of the Atlantic ocean, and Delaware 

 bay ; and in the direction of the winds, that cause the 

 warm spells here in winter, and which have not the 

 same effect there, coming as they do, so immediately oft* 

 those large waters ; a proof of this is, that vegetation is 

 generally two weeks later there than here, though so 

 far to the southward. 



From many observations and experiments, I have 

 found that the worm most destructive to peach trees, 

 begins to change to 2i chrysalis about the first of July, and 

 remains in that state about two weeks, when they come 

 out a wasp, and proceed to couple and lay their eggs 

 near the roots of the trees, or in woimds in any other 

 part; but do little injury, except in or near the roots as. 



