580 THANSACTIOyS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



see that tlie top soil is placed down within their reacli, but with wheat 

 and certain other things, the practice ought to be difterent. 



Mr. H. L, Reade. — I plow^ed the half of a field six to eight inches, 

 and the other half three' to four, and sowed rye. The harvest showed 

 that the shallow plowed portion gave twenty percent the best results. 



Dr. Isaac P. Trimble. — I suggest that we let this subject lie over 

 for the present. Meantime I would like those interested to note that 

 converts to my theory are coming in as fast as possible. Truth is 

 mighty and must prevail. 



Removing Tkees and Trimming Old Teees. 



Mr. Chas. B. Skidmore asks the following questions : 1. Is it too 

 late in the season to remove fruit trees and set them in other places ? 

 2. Is it too late to trim old trees for bearing next year ? 



Mr, A. B. Crandell. — Too late, I should say for transplanting fruit 

 trees unless he waits till the ground freezes, and takes up a large bole 

 of earth with the roots. At any time between now and sugar weather 

 in the spring, pruning may be done. February, during the mild 

 weather is as good a month as any for using the knife and saw. 



The same correspondent asks how to make 



Hot Beds. 



Mr. A. B. Craudell. — For hot beds, let him dig out his pits two 

 feet deep. In February, he should throw in fresh horse droppings a 

 foot deep, then three or four inches of dirt and tread all hard, then a 

 thinner layer of horse manure and four inches of garden mould over 

 that. Cover with sashes, keeping out the cold at the sides. The 

 young plants must be carefully watched, and aired at the proper time. 

 If he wants full and exact directions, one Peter Henderson, an opu- 

 lent market gardener of Jersey City, will give him an admirable 

 volume on the subject. 



Middlemen. 



Mr. W". II. Phelps, Middleport, N. Y., forwarded the subjoined 

 communication : A little agitation is wanted in a new direction. 

 There is an impression abroad among the farming communit}-, which 

 is quite general and of long standing, that the commission merchants 

 of our great cities. New York not excepted, are dishonest men, and 

 in many instances this impression amounts to positive knowledge. 

 Instances are numerous in which farmers have been fleeced nearly 

 and entirely out of their shipments of various commodities. We 



