SECRETARY'S REPORT. 173 



cultivation. A gentleman who sits behind me says he lias found 

 it of advantage to lay down even the Concord grape. 



With regard to the peach, I saw, in the garden of Mr. Simpson, 

 at Saxonville, to which I have referred, what he calls the ground 

 culture of the peach. He had a trellis about eight or ten inches 

 above the ground. Thus far he had been successful in growing 

 the peach, because in this way he could cover and protect them 

 in the winter. The frame was made with posts in the ground, 

 and slats fastened on, eight inches above the ground. Tlie trees 

 were spread out within eight or ten inches of the ground, and 

 covered during the winter. 



Mr. Bull. — I do not wish this audience to think for a moment 

 that mulching is not excellent for fruit trees. We know that 

 raspberries and blackberries cannot be grown without mulching. 

 The best growers, we know, do it. J know some cultivators 

 cover the Concord grape. I do not believe it is necessary. If 

 so, it would be because cultivated with manure, so as to make 

 considerable unripe wood. I would never mulch the Concord 

 grape. 



Mr. CoLTON, of Worcester. — We find, in Worcester, we must 

 cover the Concord. 



Mr. Bull. — There are twenty-five acres growing about*Con- 

 cord, and not one vine is ever covered, or ever need be. I had 

 some little vines in one part of my garden, near the meadow, 

 and I wanted to graft some of my seedlings on some of these 

 young roots. My boy took up some of them, at the very end of 

 the season. He had got one row out, and it was left open the 

 day before it froze. The trench within eight or nine inches of 

 the row left, was open all winter, full of snow and water and 

 ice. Every one of them was alive in the spring. I have known 

 them with the crown of roots standing out all winter, and yet 

 living, although the bark of the roots turned green, like the 

 bark of the apple tree. They never need covering. 



Mr. CoLTON. — Would not the gentleman make an allowance 

 for locality ? We are five hundred feet above the sea, which is 

 equal to a degree of lattitude. 



Mr. Bull. If the luood is not ripe they will need it ; but if 

 the wood is kept ripe by pinching, they will not. 



Mr. CoLTON. — With regard to the richness of the ground, I 

 used to advocate planting vines in very rich soil ; but I think 



