SECRETARY'S REPORT. 11 



the cleft in limbs which externally present a healthy and 

 vigorous appearance. 



There is another point in connection with this subject which 

 deserves attention and thought, and with its consideration we 

 shall close our report. It must be that large growing trees, 

 like the apple and the cherry, which send strong roots deep into 

 the earth, draw a portion of their nourishment from the subsoil 

 far beyond the reach of the farmer. There can certainly be no 

 good reason assigned why in the lapse of years this subsoil 

 should not become much sooner exhausted in consequence of 

 the stimulus applied to the tree by the application of concen- 

 trated manures, such as an artificial necessity, growing out of 

 the demands of the market, now forces the cultivator to apply to 

 the surface roots. These superficial organs cannot be roused 

 into an unnatural degree of activity, without in time exciting a 

 corresponding activity in the whole vital powers of the tree, 

 and the lower roots must soon be called upon, by the necessity 

 of preserving a healthy balance of action among the vital organs, 

 to take up from the subsoil nutritive matter much faster tlian 

 nature has provided for its supply. Hence the tree will first 

 fail to be fruitful, and finally die. The fact has always been 

 known that a young tree never flourishes vigorously, if placed 

 in the same spot from which an old tree of the same kind has 

 been recently removed, and upon the supposition just alluded 

 to, this fact is readily understood. When to the exhaustion of 

 the subsoil is added the injury done in many orchards by 

 injudicious ploughing, the surface roots being often cut off and 

 forcibly drawn out of the ground, it is not a matter of surprise 

 that under such a system of operative surgery the patient should 

 die of exhaustion before reaching maturity. Whatever may be 

 the true explanation of the present and prospective failure of 

 the fruit crop, it appears that we are to place but little reliance 

 for our crop except upon comparatively young trees ; and we 

 can only secure these by combined resetting and removal of 

 decaying trees ; and it may yet be found profitable, although 

 contrary to the commonly received doctrine, to depend to some 

 extent upon thrifty suckers which spring from the roots of trees 

 which the axe has removed. 



Many fine trees could be pointed to, whicli have in this way 

 taken the place of others, and having the benefit of large roots 



