APPENDIX. 17J) 



suitable. Moderate prunint?, to keep in proper shape ; if the tree be 

 eight or ten jears old, allow a moderate grass sod ; if younger, give 

 a little cultivation. Moderate top-dressings of lime, ashes, iron scrap- 

 ings, salt — all are recommended, not as known remedies, but as likely 

 to be beueficial. A wash of lye and soft-soap, with a mixture of lime, 

 cannot be injurious ; and at least will be a protection against insects. 



It would seem almost useless to refer to the many remedies for th^; 

 blight, which have been given to the country from time to time — since 

 all remedies have so signally failed. Some years since, the late Dr. Hull, 

 of Illinois, a cultivator of much practical skill and experience, put forth 

 a claim in favor of root pruning as a certain remedy. It has been prac- 

 ticed by many with varied success ; but it is believed that, though it 

 may in some instances be beneficial in arresting the disease, it can in 

 nowise be classed as a remedy. 



Cutting away the diseased branches, as soon as the disease begins to 

 show itself, has also been urged as an infallible remedy; but those who 

 urge it could have had but slight acquaintance with the disaase. To 

 cut away all the parts affected, would be to cut many trees into stove- 

 wood — about»half of which would show symptoms of blight, and the 

 other half would not ; but so located as to render separation impossible, 

 except by its total destruction. 



Thomas Meehan, the intelligent editor of the Gardener'' s Monthly, at 

 Philadelphia, recommends the growing of pears in grass sod, as a pre- 

 ventive of blight ; and many exp riments have seemed to demonstrate 

 the value of the suggestion. 



As a rule, it is believed that those varieties which have been known 

 to withstand our variable seasons best, will be most likely to escape the 

 ravages of the blight. And 3'et this is not an established fact. 



In conclusion, it is safe to say, that the whole field of horticultural 

 investigation presents no question upon which there is more present 

 need of light, than that of Pear Blight. 



PROPAGATION. 



Propagation is properly the business of the nurseryman. But 

 it is desirable that others should know something of the art and its 

 principles, so a short chapter is given to it here. In doing so, we 

 must necessarily confine ourselves to a limited space, and leave much 

 to tlie judgment and good sense of the reader. 



All new varieties are produced from seeds, either by natuial or 

 artificial means. Hybridization, though artificial, is. however, only 

 an application of the operations of nature. It consists in applying 

 the pollen, or fertilizing portion, of one variety of blossoms to the 



