152 The Cultivation of the Pear. 



might hear the opinions of gentlemen present in continuation 

 of the same subject. 



Mr. Strong wished to ask Mr. 0. M. Hovey if he did not 

 advise pruning in trees as a general thing : he so understood 

 him, and would therefore class him as in favor of heading in. 



Mr. Hovey wished to explain. He did say that he advised 

 pruning in as a general rule, because, as a general rule, trees 

 were badly transplanted, the roots destroyed, or more or less 

 injured. Take, say four fifths of the trees annually sold, and 

 they would come under this rule, and thousands of worthless 

 trees were annually sold at auction, not worth carrying home, 

 — thousands again were imported, and more or less injured 

 on the voyage. The number of really fine, healthy, well- 

 rooted trees annually transplanted was, therefore, only a 

 small proportion to the whole. Consequently, four fifths of 

 them needed doctoring, nursing, extra care and pains to 

 make them grow, or rather live, — for a great many of them 

 never would grow. Such being the case, he did advise prun- 

 ing in, as a general thing. But when, as he had before 

 stated, the trees were what they should be, he would not 

 prune, on any consideration, the first year. 



Mr. Strong said he should class Mr. Hovey, then, in favor 

 of pruning in trees, especially imported ones, or those from 

 the forest. He understood the views of Mr. Walker to be 

 different, and he believed them untenable. Mr. Strong dis- 

 cussed the subject further, and in reference to the action of 

 sap, the functions of the leaves, and collateral matters, which 

 were replied to by Mr. C. M. Hovey. Mr. Strong instanced 

 an experiment with mercury, made to test the ascending force 

 of the sap. 



Dr. Wight stated that he had satisfactorily tested the value 

 of quicksilver and sulphur in destroying insects. Three 

 years ago he bored a hole in an apple tree, poured in quick- 

 silver, and plugged up the hole tight. One year after, he 

 opened the hole, and found the quicksilver in the same state 

 and the same quantity as when put in ; it had not undergone 

 the least change whatever. In another tree he bored a sim- 

 ilar hole, and inserted roll brimstone. A year afterwards, it 



