718 MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



only to permit it to grow. Plant a tree, said the Scotch farm- 

 er to his lazy son, and it will grow while you are sleeping. 

 We cannot, however, say with equal truth that, if the planter 

 sleeps all the time, the tree will grow in like manner. Con- 

 stant vigilance is necessary, especially with respect to young 

 trees, to secure a regular and well ordered growth, and a 

 proper degree of exposure to the light and air ; and, more es- 

 pecially to guard the tree against the withering effects of 

 drought, and the ravages of disease and insects. It has been 

 calculated, and I believe correctly, that if the labor which is 

 required in a single season upon young trees, especially where 

 the orchard is not kept in tillage, were fairly averaged, it 

 would not amount to less than one month's labor, of one man, 

 on each hundred of trees. If the ground is tilled, much of 

 this labor will be given to the trees incidentally. It will still, 

 however, be necessary to dig or hoe the ground near the trees, 

 where the plough cannot safely be driven, and the hoe would 

 seem to be the better instrument, as less likely to injure the 

 roots. Care must be taken also, to clear away suckers, and 

 to prune off all irregular limbs. Less pruning seems necessary 

 with us than in other countries. There it may be best to 

 throw open the head of the tree to the light and air, but our 

 fierce suns and strong winds will penetrate any common mass 

 of foliage. Little more is requisite than to prevent the limbs 

 from crossing and chafing each other. Our chief care, how- 

 ever, is required to protect young trees from drought, disease, 

 or insects. 



Allusion has been already made to the first of these topics. 

 It is brought home to the farmer's mind in almost every sum- 

 mer. If we should select any one feature of our climate as 

 its peculiar characteristic, we should specify our long and 

 parching droughts. Artificial watering, every one knows, is 

 out of the question, since one thousand barrels of water would 

 be requisite to moisten an acre of land as thoroughly as is 

 done by a shower of a single inch. Two great remedies 

 against this unavoidable disadvantage, seem, as I have already 

 said, to be, first, shading the ground at the foot of the trees by 

 hay, leaves, or some other mulching ; and secondly, and chief- 

 ly, stirring the surface of the soil. The effects of this last ex- 

 pedient, when well followed up, (as it very rarely is,) are truly 



