AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 315 



January 16, 1880. 



Present — 51 members. Mr. Richard G. Pardee In the chair. 



The Secretary read his translations and extracts from the correspondence 

 of the Institute since the last meeting, viz : 



With special pleasure, we hail from the Argentine Republic, the first 

 volume of agricultural fairs. 



[Jouraal de la Societie Impelale et Centrale d'Hortlcultui'e. Paris, Oct., 1859.] 



EASY METHOD OF MULTIPLYING THE VARIETIES OF THE AZALEA 



PONTICA. — BY MR. J^GER (Gartenflora). 



Whether branches are cut into a little, for the purposes of marcotting, 

 (layering) the easier they break when pressed downwards, and if you lay 

 them on the ground without cutting, they take long time to root. 



Mr. Jaeger has found a remedy. In spring he bends the branches (be- 

 fore the leaves are out) in a soil of heath earth, (Bruyere) heaped up and 

 lays a stone on it, large enough to keep it down in its place without hend' 

 ing the layer too much. He then covers it with moss, and waters it ahxiw 

 dantly. During the whole summer, in dry weather, he renews the water- 

 ings. In the fall, he makes a cover of strata leaves and moss, thick 

 enough to prevent frost from reaching the layers, many of which at this 

 time have roots, and may be detached next spring. But as many young 

 ones will perish, it is best to let them be a year before detaching them 

 from the parent stock, for then you will have strong, bushy plants. The 

 roots are found under the stones and in the moss ; but, above all, under 

 the stones. 



PEAR ORCHARDS — HOW TO RENOVATE AN OLD ONE. 



Solon Robinson. — L. E. Fleming writes, from Indianpolis, for informa- 

 mation upon this subject, being encouraged to do so from having read 

 several times answers to inquiries made of this Club, that have been Inter- 

 esting and valuable. He says: "I have trees some twenty-five years old 

 that have ceased bearing, from what cause I am unable to determine. 

 Should they be manured, and closely trimmed ? Should the soil be loose 

 and dry ?" I answer: The cause Is that the natural food of the fruit has 

 probably become exhausted, and the trees want feeding with fertilizers 

 especially adapted to their necessities. Stable manure, of course, will be 

 good, but probably muck, or wood mold, would be better. Ashes, leached 

 or unleached, would be good; and so will salt, potash, bones, In powder or 

 in the form of superphosphate. The soil at Indianpolis, is naturally loose 

 and dry, but the pear orchard should not be used as a pasture or mowing lot. 



Wm. Lawton. — I would add what Forsyth says, that old trees may be 

 benefited by removing old limbs and rough bark, and fertilizing. In some 

 cases two-thirds of the old top has been removed. The book is an English 

 one, "Forsyth on fruit trees." 



Wm. S. Carpenter. — I recommend cutting a trench around the trees 

 about as far out as the ends of the limbs, and filling that with fertilizing 

 substances. 



