58 THE CULTIVAVION OF THE 



and sulphuric acid. The same report says that Drs. 

 Goessmann and Penhallow indicate that chlorine, though 

 in small quantity, is important in the foliage, as a means 

 of assisting in the transfer of the nutritive matters from 

 the leaves to the buds, and, therefore, must not be 

 deficient in the soil, although not much is needed. Dr. 

 Goessmann is good authority, and has given much atten- 

 tion to the peach question, and if the diseased tree 

 really does contain more lime than the healthy tree, then 

 an important point, I think, has been solved, in fertiliz- 

 ing the peach orchard. 



By comparison of the analyses, the general manures 

 made on the farm, with their potash, soda, iron, magnesia, 

 lime, chlorine, phosphoric acid, ammonia, etc., ought to 

 be almost perfect fertilizers for the Peach tree, and are 

 so considered by some of our most intelligent and suc- 

 cessful growers. Now I confess that, except it be 

 thoroughly composted, and every part of its organic 

 matter be thoroughly decomposed, which is somewhat 

 difficult to accomplish in a reasonable time, I am becom- 

 iug somewhat suspicious of barn-yard manure as an 

 article of diet for the peach. It is beginning to be 

 noticed by more than one observer among our practical 

 growers, that in soils made rich by the application of 

 barn-yard manure and lime, such as the upper New 

 Castle county soils have been, particularly about 

 Delaware City, where, formerly, were such flourishing 



