322 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



the wood became covered with a black incrustation, and pre- 

 sented altogether the appeai'ance of October. This occurred 

 in the latter part of July and early in August, and but very 

 few of the trees made any attempt at a second growth. The 

 cause of this phenomena is not well understood, though I have 

 some confidence in the assertion that had it been a dry season, 

 it would not have occurred. 



The whole growth for the four seasons past not having been 

 quite satisfactory, I am (October) placing around each tree two 

 or three shovelfuls of night soil. This is to be covered by a 

 conical mound of loam about three feet in breadth and one in 

 height, for the triple purpose of covering the manure, securing 

 the trees against the chance of the depredations of mice, and 

 preventing the injurious action of frost, which in heavy soil 

 lacerates the fibrous roots and stunts the tree in its growth. 

 This latter difficulty is almost entirely prevented by thorough 

 draining, and to my mind, at least on my own land, draining is 

 of vastly more value to an orchard by keeping the water out of 

 it during the season of frost, than in the summer, when for the 

 most part the land is dry enough. Before distributing the 

 night soil I strew around each tree half a pound of the scales 

 of protoxide of iron, such as are found around the blacksmith's 

 anvil. Next spring the hillock of loam will be partially levelled, 

 and the manure mixed with the soil. 



The object which I have kept in view in pruning thus far, 

 has been mainly to promote wood growth rather than the 

 formation of fruit. For this purpose I generally prune just as 

 the buds are swelling in spring. This I am aware is theoreti- 

 cally the wrong time ; directly after the fall of the leaf being 

 usually considered the more appropriate period. I have found, 

 however, that when pruning takes places in autumn or winter, 

 the terminal buds upon which I rely for the extension of the lead- 

 ing shoots, become detached, killed, or so far enfeebled, that 

 they refuse in spring to make any extension, and the second or 

 third bud from the end becomes the extending shoot. By wait- 

 ing until the buds commence swelling in spring, I am able to 

 select one for the prolongation of new wood, having the most 

 proper position, and at tlie same time giving promise of vigor- 

 ous growth. This applies only to the shortening in of the lead- 

 ing shoots. The removal of superfluous limbs should take place 



