Answers to Correspondents. 373 



peach trees, one year old. In August following, I budded them, putting 

 buds in all the principal branches, intending to make a top of the coming 

 year's growth. This spring, hardly half the inoculations grew, having 

 been overrun by the luxuriant fall growth. I am budding the same over 

 again, putting five or six buds in the main branches of the tree, high up. I 

 head down about half of them at once, in order to make them start this 

 year. Is this a good plan ? Will you let me know your modus operandi of 

 budding peach trees when they are as old as three years V 



We cannot aid our correspondent much, as in no case should we recom- 

 mend this practice or approve of it. We should much prefer to wait and 

 secure young, thrifty, budded trees of the first year, the only age a peach 

 tree should ever be planted. But if <S. wishes to carry out his experiment, 

 we would not advise heading down after budding, but would rather prefer 

 to let the buds take their usual course of growing the following year. No 

 tree will make a handsome head in this way. 



Grafting the White Thorn. — S. We should certainly graft under the 

 ground in forming a pear orchard. The thorn does not grow so rapidly as 

 the pear; and the trees would be likely to be broken oft' where grafted. — 

 The thorn is also liable to be attacked by the borer if above ground. 



Pears on the Quince. — V. Atwood. We do not know that we can an- 

 swer the question satisfactorily, whether the pear will succeed on the quince 

 in Vermont. Actual experiments are needed to test this. We know that 

 the northern limit of the quince is Massachusetts ; yet we are inclined to 

 believe that it will succeed in Vermont, with due care. We would advise 

 a trial by all means, and, as precautions, we would advise that, 1st. The 

 stock of the quince should be set entirely under ground, so that the pear 

 will also be at least two inches below. 2d. On the approach of winter, 

 place a barrel full of manure around each tree. 3d. Cultivate highly, — that 

 is, manure annually. If these directions are followed, we believe the quince 

 will succeed ; or, at least, until the pear will, perhaps, be induced to throw 

 out roots, as we have known them to do in our own practice. 



Strawberries. — G. of Auburn. The original plant of Hovey's Seed- 

 ling was what is called by Mr. Longworth a pistillate plant, and what we 

 denominate an imperfect blossom. Mr. Downing's ideas on this head would 

 lead one to believe that he knows very little of the subject ; his promise to 

 manufacture plants of Hovey's Seedling with plenty of stamens, must claim 

 for him an inventive genius. The modus operandi would, no doubt, be pretty 

 interesting to all cultivators. In a previous page, (355,) we have discussed 

 this subject at length, and would refer G. to the article. 



Trellisesfor Fruit Trees. — S. Undoubtedly the cheapest plan of a trel- 

 lis is simply posts, set about two feet apart. Our experience has not been 

 much in this way ; yet we think, where lumber is not expensive, that posts 

 eight feet apart, and two rails, one at top and one at bottom, with slats 

 nailed on vertically, one foot apart, would be the best as regards the pro- 

 duct and vigor of the trees. This system we have seen adopted, and it has 

 answered every purpose. The whole may be made out of rough boards at 

 little cost. 



