602 [Assembly 



Mr. Tirrell — How do you apply the horse dung? 



Dr. Underhill — I plough it eight or nine inches deep all over the 

 orchard; do not place it nearer to the tree than one foot; let it be 

 spread from six to ten feet diameter around the tree are in old orchards 

 spread over the whole ground; as roots, all over. The small roots 

 which take in nourishment are at the extremities of the roots. 



Judge Van Wyck — "What do you say as to tilling orchards? 



Dr. Underhill — They should be tilled. Grow corn or potatoes 

 where the trees are young, or turnips when old. I sow buckwheat in 

 them and plough it in. But I never want to see wheat or rye, oats 

 or meadow grass in an orchard; for unless the roots of the trees are 

 kept clear for some distance, the grain crop in June or July, when 

 there is any drought, depriving the trees of their necessary supply of 

 moisture, the fruit will become gnarly. 



Mr. Allen — Presented some fine large apples, the produce of trees 

 on the farm of W. Mills, of Long Island, which had once been 

 worm-eaten and mossy, but had undergone reformation. 



Chairman — The walls of the sap vessels in trees easily close up, 

 so that in old orchards we see almost uniformly hollow trees still 

 bearing their fruit. If these trees had been properly pruned the 

 trunks would have been of solid wood to a large size and old age. 



Judge Van Wyck — One writer on this subject says that winter 

 and summer are both proper seasons for pruning, because then the 

 sap is not running. Prune off all scraggy crooked limbs, prune out 

 the top so as to let in the sun's rays. As to peach trees do not 

 prune them. My idea of pruning has long been in accordance with 

 Dr. Underhill's plan. I should like to hear something from him, on 

 the plum tree; there is often found upon it a blister, which is a dis- 

 ease. Would you amputate the limb? 



Dr. Underhill — ^The Judge is right as to the peach tree. South 

 of our highlands, plums are almost all destroyed. I know but one 

 remedy. Make a hog pen of your plum orchard. The hogs will eat up 

 and destroy the fallen fruit, insects and all; let the hogs be there all 

 the plum season; they will rub against the trees and do them good. 

 In that way you can have as good plums as in any part of the world. 

 Some recommend paving the ground — then birds pick up the fallen 

 insects. These insects do not fly far. 



