22 Soil and Climate of Washington. 



dria, both excellent cultivators of peaches, strawberries, 

 raspberries, grapes, &c. Their example ought to have an 

 extensive and beneficial influence, especially when it is re- 

 membered that their peaches commanded in the market $8 

 per bushel. This leads me to remark that Dr. Bayne, who 

 is one of the most careful and successful horticulturists in 

 this region of country, has lately written an excellent com- 

 munication upon the transplanting and culture of the peach, 

 and as his observations are valuable to all cultivators of this 

 delicious fruit, I append them here, deeming them well 

 worthy of record in your pages. They are as follows : — 



The first important step in the formation of an orcliard, is tlie selection 

 of the situation and soil. In order to protect your fruit as much as possi- 

 ble against the destructive influence of frosts in the spiing', it is advisable 

 to select the most elevated position, and if possible with a northern aspect. 

 The preferable soil for a peach orchard is a rich sandy loam, but this fruit 

 will succeed in any soil, with proper attention to cultivation and manuring-; 

 particular care, however, should be taken not to plant a new orchard on 

 the site of an old one. 



Immediately on tiie arrival of your trees, I would recommend them to 

 be unpacked, the roots to be well watered and covered with earth, in a 

 trencli prepared for tliat purpose. This is a necessary precaution to take, 

 it having been found by experience that the growth of the tree, the first 

 year, depended very much on preserving its roots in moist state until 

 planted. 



The holes which you design to receive your trees should be at least 

 tliree feet in diameter, and two feet deep, observing to throw aside the 

 eartli from the bottom, and substituting in its place vegetable mould, or 

 decomposed manure, intimately incorporated with light earth. The trees 

 are then to be placed in the holes, about two inches deeper than they 

 originally stood in the nursery, witli the roots spread out horizontally. In 

 the process of filling up, the trees should be shaken frequently, in order to 

 fill all the vacancies between the roots. I would further remark, when- 

 ever the soil is thin, and the sub-soil poor, clayey and tenacious, the tree 

 should never be planted deep. The depth in planting should generally 

 correspond with the depth of soil. The earth should next be finuly press- 

 ed down around the tree, and if planted in the fall, brought up around the 

 tree in tiie shape of a mound, so as to prevent the frosts from penetrating 

 to the roots. These mounds must be removed in the spring, and a basin 

 formed around each tree to retain the moisture. If the first season should 

 prove very dry, occasional waterings will prevent many trees from perish- 

 ing. To keep the trees from being agitatated by the winds, it will be 

 necessary to secure each one to a stake by a band of straw. 



The proper season for the transplantation of trees, in this latitude, is 

 from the fall of the leaf until the last of April. The autumnal months 

 arc to be preferred, as you will tliereby obtain a much greater growth the 

 ensuing year. Aflcr your trees have been planted, for the purpose of pro- 

 moting their growth, it is essential that the ground should be thoroughly 

 and frequently cultivated ; and in no instance pennit clover, or any de- 

 scription of grass, to grow in your peach orchard. In addition to cultiva- 



