Horticulture hi the United States, for 1849. 7 



sire to acquire a thorough knowledge of the management of 

 dwarf, pyramidal, or espalier trees. Mr. Leuchars has given 

 some general views on pruning, (p. 436,) and the proper sea- 

 son for performing this operation, which deserve attention ; 

 and to aid several of our amateur friends, who have made 

 repeated inquiries of us, as to our mode of pruning pyramidal 

 pear trees, we have thrown out a few hints (p. 300) which 

 we trust have answered the purpose for which they were in- 

 tended. We need scarcely repeat, what we have already 

 stated, that these were but preparatory to a full elucidation of 

 the subject in the present volume. 



We have incidentally alluded to the subject of special 

 manures, but have not deemed it advisable to adopt the views 

 of some theorists, who would have cultivators believe that 

 the exact quantity or kind of manure or substance any spe- 

 cies and variety of tree must have, to bring it to perfection, 

 may be readily told by the aid of the crucible. The Avood 

 of the pear, or the grape, has but to be burned, and the ashes 

 analyzed, when, presto, — the very condiments, even to the 

 proper portion and mixture in bushels and quarts, is at once 

 as quickly pointed out as a magician would change his balls 

 into specie. That special manures have their uses, and may 

 be brought to the aid of the cultivator in some degree, we 

 certainly should be the last to doubt ; but how they are to 

 be applied, through what agencies they are brought to act, 

 and whether an analysis of the wood will show what sub- 

 stances make the fruit, are questions not yet decided, and 

 are not likely soon to be satisfactorily ascertained. Mr. Tu- 

 dor, of Nahant, a gentleman devoted to the subject of exper- 

 imental culture, has shown, by his own experience the past 

 year, (p. 524,) that the very largest and finest fruit can be 

 obtained simply by the use of pure rain water alone, the 

 ground being previously well enriched with stable manure ; 

 and, until we have as good results from " special manures," we 

 shall not advise the cultivator to throw aside stable dung and 

 guano for such compounds as peat and ashes. 



But the latest and certainly most ingenious theory is that 

 in relation to the cause of the cracking of the old White 

 Doyenne (or St. Michael's) pear. The odd notion of diseased 



