The Cultivation of the Pear. • 153 



was opened with the same result as the other experiment ; 

 not the least change had taken place ; the sulphur remained 

 as when put in. 



Mr. C. M. Hovey thought this a perfectly convincing proof 

 of the utter falsity of such experiments. Dr. Wight was a 

 careful observer, and accurate in all his experiments ; and he 

 trusted this would forever set at rest, at least with all reason- 

 able men, the nonsensical idea that the quicksilver or sulphur 

 would be decomposed and absorbed by the sap, and carried 

 throughout the tree, poisoning the insects which feed upon 

 the leaves ! It was an annual paragraph for the newspapers, 

 and underwent annual trials by persons who believed all 

 they read in them, especially upon agricultural or horti- 

 cultural topics, and who always reported successful results. 

 If these discussions elicited such facts as these, their impor- 

 tance could not be questioned. 



Mr. Jos. Richardson thought there was not a great dif- 

 ference of opinion as regards heading in trees. He believed 

 if trees were not injured by removal, it was best not to cut 

 them in, — if injured, then it was best to prune. It was 

 remarked by Mr. Walker, at the last meeting, that he did not 

 approve of scoring trees. He had had some experience on 

 this point, himself; and so far as he had tried it, it had not 

 been beneficial : on unhealthy trees he had no success. His 

 course was, when a tree was stunted, to encourage the 

 growth of suckers : the top of the old tree he did not re- 

 move ; but as soon as the suckers were well grown, say in 

 the second year, then it was cut off, and a tree vigorous and 

 healthy was the result. This he had found was far better 

 than to attempt to renovate by scoring the bark. 



He was pleased to hear the remarks from Mr. Stickney, 

 He could relate his experience, dearly bought. Some ten 

 years ago, he bought seventy-two dollars' worth of trees at 

 auction. He set them out with the greatest care ; nursed 

 them up, but they would not grow and appeared stunted ; some 

 he scored, and others he headed in the tops, and took up 

 suckers ; still they grew worse and worse, and dwindled 

 away, until he had dug up more than half of them. Those 



VOL. XTX. NO IV. 20 



