AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 319 



still deeper than I dug the holes. I set my trees from four to six 

 inches below the joining of the pear with the quince root. I trim 

 into a pyramidical shape. To prevent winter blight I take away 

 the mulch and earth in the fall to check the growth before win- 

 ter. In the summer I keep all the trees mulched to keep the soil 

 moist and of an even temperature. I take soluble humus and 

 potash to make wood, but I do not do that to make fruit. For 

 that I render phosphate of lime soluble by an excess of sulphuric 

 acid, and apply in spring. Guano should never be applied in 

 spring or summer; it may be in the fall. I always apply potash 

 after the phosphate. Some of my pear trees this year, that do 

 not occupy over eight feet of ground, brought me 20.0 shillings. I 

 sold all my crop at $1 to $1.50 a dozen. My rows stand twenty 

 feet apart, and I cultivate between, but I never use any barn-yard 

 manure- — that will always injure the trees. The surface must 

 always be kept in a pulverulent state. I would advise to set dwarf 

 trees eight feet apart both ways, where the land is not to be tilled. 

 Great care must be taken in planting trees — that is all important 

 — so is the soil. The fame of Newark cider is world-wide. It 

 comes from the Harrison and Canfield apples, grown upon a cer- 

 tain locality. The juice is very rich, and not inclined to run into 

 vinegar. The fruit of this district is possessed of a peculiar flavor. 

 Some of the orchards are 100 years old, but the people are gene- 

 rally very negligent about planting new orchards. Perhaps it is 

 because the old trees do noi; continue to bear well, which is owing 

 to a want of lime and soda in the soil. The only valuable wash 

 for fruit trees is a saturated solution of soda. Take sal soda and 

 heat it red hot, and add one pound to a gallon of water. A 

 wash of this removes dead bark and leaves the bodies smooth. 



To a question from Mr. Bergen of Long Island, the Professor 

 said there was no danger of his trees blowing down, as he left but 

 little top when he set them out, and trimmed them as fast as they 

 grew into a pyramidical form.* As to the talk of overstocking 

 the market, it is all moonshine. The confectioner's windows are 

 full of French pears at fifty cents a piece. A pear from Cali- 

 fornia on the table, weighing two pounds, no matter what its 

 quality, would sell in any quantity at wholesale at |6 a dozen. 



