3-20 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



APRIL ir, 1839. 



AND HORTICDLTCRAL REGISTER. 



BosTo:i, Wednesday, Apbil 17, 1839. 



AGRICULTURAL MCETIING. 



We continue our reports of llie tenth meeting, in 

 wliicli in addition to the discussion resficcting the use of 

 fiuil as food for stock, of which wc gave a slielch in the 

 last Farmer, tlie general subject of liansplanling and 

 engrafting fruit trees came tip. We do not peiceive 

 anything original or no\el in any of the methods de- 

 tailed by the dillerent genlleinen ; but they are valuable 

 as being the results of the actual uspericnce and care- 

 ful observation of persons, who have been successfully 

 anil for years engaged in the business, and familiar willi 

 all its operations. They will be presented in a iHiscel- 

 laneous and desultory dirni as they were elicited in the 

 course of the inquiry and discussion, 



Mr Stone, of Wateriown, has been iu the habit for 

 years, of raising, tran.-<planting and engrafting the trees 

 upon his farm ; his orchards arc very extensiye, and his 

 fruit abundant, as must appear indeed from a statement 

 made in the last paper; that he has made from 100 to 

 150 barrels of cider in a year; and tliat he has given 

 sometimes from a lOQO to 1200 bushels of apples in n 

 year to his stock, which consisted merely of apples that 

 were not saleable in the market. 



In transplanting trees, he says, he very rarely fails la 

 make ihcm live and flouiish. lie thinks itimportant to 

 make the hole for the reception of the tree large j even 

 if the tree be sn)all he would have it three feet in diam- 

 eter, so as to give an opportunity for the roots to be ex- 

 panded freely ; lie fills it up after setting out the tree, 

 with loam or soil suited to the tree ; and he chooses to 

 set them out if possible iinuiedialely after taking them 

 from the nursery bed. lie approves of setting trees by 

 the side of a wall ; and he prrfers a deep and moist 

 soil. A clayey soil he considers as unfavorable. 



In grafting he chooses to select and cut his scions 

 early in April, and places them the cut ends in the 

 earth, covering thctn with some protection from the wet 

 and sun. lie is ojiposcd to very early gnifting, prefer- 

 ring the time just before the opening of th« blossoms. 

 He prefers a warm and mild day for engrafting ; and he 

 uses as a coniposiiion to apply to the cut limb a mixture 

 of three parts of rosin, three parts bees-wax., and one of 

 tallow. Clay and manure mixed form a'n equally good 

 application, excepting the greater trouble of preparing 

 and applying it. 



He has no more diRiciiliy in engrafting cherry than 

 apple trees. The secret of grafting a cherry tree with 

 success is in putting the scion in. The ou er bark is to 

 be divided with a knife ; the tree is then to be split and 

 the scion put in ; but the scion of a cherry tree must not 

 be shoved or forced down. It is not so with an apple 

 scion. He has engrafted old trees with success. Any 

 tree, which is healthy, may be grafted with advantage 

 To an inquiry inaJe of him, he replies tlint he knows 

 nothing of engrnftuig a barren tree. In engrafting old 

 trees he chooses to get out on the extreme branches and 

 place his scions, where the limbs are not more than 

 three inches in diameter. He would not engraft the 

 whole tree in the same season. He commonly puts in 

 twice as many scions as he wishes to have remain ; and 

 uses the limbs which appear most favorable. The trees 

 which aiu engraAed are more healthy than those not 

 engrafted. (We write from our notes, but we suppose 

 that Mr Stone designed to cimvey the idea that a tree, 

 not in very flourishing condition, would become improved 



in health by eiigrafling.) Ho would prefer engrafting a 

 sucker to a liinh. 



He has made many experiments in the removal of 

 trees. He has removed forest trees with success ; and 

 has transplanted pines in Juno and August with safety. 

 He has likewise with success removed an oak and an 

 apple tree in summer. In this case, however, the roots 

 were preserved with great care, and placed as far as 

 possible in their original and natural position. He 

 transplanted with success many of the evergreens at 

 Mount Auburn. We understood him to say that in this 

 case tfie distance of removal was not great. 



For the prevention of the ravages of the canker 

 worms he is accustomed to tar his trees. But he has 

 another preventive against their depredations and that 

 of olhiT insect..^ and worms, which certainly speaks well 

 f .r his taste and his humanity. He never suffers a bird 

 or a squirrel to be shot or molested on hie place. He 

 tri'ats the despised toad likewise with great respect and 

 kindness, and gives them the free range of all his plea- 

 sure grounds. He sella no cherries, but plants them 

 purposely for the birds, considering the advantage he 

 derives from them in destroying grubs and worms as 

 vastly more than a compensation for the little pittance 

 which they ask for. (Now this is noble. Llllle matters 

 are as fair a test of character as great. All things have 

 an equal right to live. A man who would kill a robin 

 out of pure w.antonness, would be very likely to kill a 

 chrld, under the same circumstances, if he were not 

 afraid (»f tlio law. A man, who would wantonly tram- 

 ple down an ant liill and crush the thousand.s of its in- 

 dustrious and happy pn|iiilation at a single stamp of his 

 foot, would, under auspicious circuirislances, make a 

 second Nero or Caligula. The rookeries in England are 

 guarded with extreme caie ; and we recollect some time 

 since seeing a curious and probable calculation of the 

 advantages, which the farmer derived from the labors of 

 these birds, which vastly preponderated over any injuries 

 which they occasioned lo his crops ) 



Mr ^Irine further stated that in his cultivation or en- 

 grafting or transplanting lie paid no attention to the 

 moon (there were in truth no signs of lunacy about 

 any of his remarks or operations) or to the aspect of the 

 tree in its former position. He had sometimes practised 

 engrafting under ground, but did not do it where it could 

 be advantageously done in another way. 



Mr Brown of Pembroke, Plymouth Co. often engrafts 

 in the roots and with success. To protect a scion he is 

 accustomed lo twist a piece of strong paper round the 

 limb where the scion was inserted in the shape of a 

 tunnel, and fill it with earth or sand. This method he 

 much apprnves on upright limbs and prefers it to clay, 

 which is apt lo crack in a dry season, or to become verv 

 hard and chafe the tree. On horizontal limbs the appli- 

 cation of this paper and loose sand or earth was not 

 easy; yet it was [iracticable. 



Mr Fowler of Danvers has been in the practice of 

 Iransplanting forest trees. F.vergreens which he has 

 transplanted in August have succeeded better than those 

 which he has transplanted in the spring. He has re- 

 ceived evergreens whicli were taken up in Penobscot, 

 Ml.' , in July, and set them out tn August with suci'css. 

 Mr Fowlor has used a mixture of sand witli his clay foi 

 engrafting with great advantage. 



Mr Nichols of Danvers went very fully into the stib- 

 jecl of engrafting, and brought some specimens to ex- 

 hibit to the meeting the different modes of opcr.ating by 

 elelt-grafting, by whip-grafting, &c. We shall report 

 his remarks very briefly, as he has kindly promised to 

 give us his views on the subject in fiill in writin5r. 



He rests particular stress U[Hin the scions fitting into 

 the bark. Cherry trees should be engrafted under the 



bark ; and must be carefully covered with ceinenl. Trei 

 in the nursery should be engrafted the next year afii 

 being planted. Scions sometimes need a support, whie 

 is easily given lo them by fastening a splinter to tl^ 

 body of the tree. Mr Nichols, (thank Heaven ! th 

 peace parly is on the increase) is likewise a great frien 

 to the birds; and lesl the scion should be broken by tl 

 birds lighting upon it, not an unusual accident, V. 

 would tie a limb by its side, to furnish them a reslir 

 place. He is careful lo cut his scions bel'ore the bui 

 swell; and to insert them when the sap flows freely. 



He does not like a cement of wax so well as of clay 

 ho frequently uses clay with hair intermixed ; a 

 chooses to put it on with the hand. Ha has never us 

 clay and sand, which Mr Fowler speaks of having use 

 to advantage. 



Mr Fowler, we understood him to sav, hud nevi 

 succeeded i(i grafting the cherry by cleft-grafting. Sic 

 grafting is more tender at first, but may be protected h 

 care. 



Mr Stone spoke again of engrafting plum trees, whic 

 he does with success. Ho h.as no difficulty in buddir 

 in August. A large tree should be engrafted ; a sma 

 lre« should be budded. The Mazzard cherry is iho be 

 stock for budding or engrafting. He buds the peac 

 likewise with success in August. In engrafting upc 

 the wild cherry and the thorn bush, the scions ha 

 done well for two or three years, but afterwards m 

 well. He is of opinion that the plum Iree should 1 

 much trimmed, and says it will bear pruning like tl 

 willow. 



Some conversation was had upon the insect by whit 

 the plum tree is often infested, and, unless a prevenlii 

 is emplojed, destroyed by llieni. The Rev. .Mr Perr 

 of Bradford, seems to have found a perfect sccurii 

 against their attacks and diflusion, which will be four 

 diflailed in the first report of the agricultural survey 

 and from this authority may be considered decisive. 



Mr Gates, of Worcester, spoke of having successfuli 

 used in grafting, a composition made up of one part i 

 losin, one part of bees-wax, and one of lard ; and nev< 

 experienced any inconvenience from its melting. IV 

 Stone has tried the same, but has suffered from the ii 

 convenience alluded to. 



The above report is, we are aware, a very imperfei 

 sketch of the conversation and discussion of the ever 

 iiig. It embodies, however, some of the principal ma' 

 ters connected with this subject; and being the suggei 

 lions and opinions of men practically versed in the sul 

 ject, we have no doubt they will be duly valued. \V 

 do not ex))cct lo find in these miscellaneous hints, 

 complete system either of arboriculture or agricullun 

 We will gather the stones where we find them, and la 

 them up in store, so that we can erect the building whe 

 we have got the mattrials together and find the leisu 

 Much good must come from striking out these spark 

 from the flint. We menn to apply the steel until prei 

 ently we light a match and kindle a fire, which we hop 

 will do some little towards lighting up and warming th 

 good old stale of Massachusetts. H. C. 



Note. — We had intended to have given the remail 

 ing Premium Farm Reports in this number. It shall b 

 done elioitly. Most of them require tr.inscribing fo 

 the spectacles of our compositor, and this requires timt 

 a commodity which has of late been very scarce with us 

 and not lo be had in the market for love or money. 



H. C. 



0•^'07'/C£;.43 



The Seeds recently sent the Massacnusetts Horticultun 

 Society, by Herr J. Rinz, Jun. of Frankfort " on the Maine, 

 Germany, a Correspoiuiing Member of the Society, will bi 

 distributed on Saturday next, at 1 1 o'clock. April 17, 



