164 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. JH| 



the Seckle. The taste of our citizens for fine fruit is improving. My 

 general crop of Bartletts I sOld this year for six dollars per barrel, and 

 that pays a good profit. I consider a pear orchard more remunerative than 

 an apple orchard. 



Mr. Lancaster. — At what distance should pear trees be planted ? 



Mr. John G. Bergen. — That depends very much ,upon circumstances. 

 Where land is very expensive, as when used for city lots, I would plant 

 dwarf trees in rows twelve feet apart, and six feet from tree to tree 

 Standard trees should be planted at least twenty feet apart each way, and 

 dwarf trees might be planted between them, and left until the standard 

 trees come into bearing, and then they should be removed or cut down. 



The Chairman explained the manner in which he planted his trees, as 

 follows: I do not make the hole as large at the top as I intend it to be. 

 After the first spading has been removed, I dig under and make the hole of 

 a conical form to the depth of from two to two and a half feet, according 

 to the size of the tree, leaving the bottom of the earth crowning in the cen- 

 ter for the purpose of taking off the surplus water from the heel of the tree. 

 I then, with the spade, cut down the surface soil, and let it drop into the 

 hole, which forms a bed for the tree to rest upon, making the earth very 

 fine. Tf any sod is mixed with it I remove it to the outer edge of the hole, 

 I then set the tree carefully, with the roots spread out to a natural posi- 

 tion, first removing any of them that may be bruised or injured. in taking 

 up. The roots are then covered to the depth of three inches with fine sur- 

 face soil, and the tree is to be shaken up and down until the fine earth has 

 filled in all the interstices between the roots. I next add more surface soil 

 and a small quantity of water, to cause the earth to adhere to the small 

 fibres and roots. I then fill in more earth from the surface, pressing it 

 down lightly with the foot, after which I fill the hole up, leaving the sur- 

 face a little dishing. 



The subsoil taken from the hole I distribute at some distance from the 

 tree. By this means the tree is planted in surface soil entirely. I never 

 trim any branches until the tree has stood one season. I have been very 

 successful with the trees I have planted, having rarely lost a single one. 



Prof. Nash. — The nice manner in which the Chairman planted his trees 

 e^miiot be otherwise than beneficial. I agree with him in all except the 

 use of the water at the time of planting, I once planted a peach orchard 

 of 2,500 trees, and did not use any water. Water is apt to cause the sur- 

 face to bake, if the weather should be very dry after planting. Some 

 water thrown on the ground, away from the trees, would, perhaps, be of 

 advantage. 



Mr. Thaddeus Selleck, Greenwich, Conn., exhibited some pears, the grafts 

 of which he procured at the Club from among some which had been received 

 from the Patent Office. This is the first year they have produced fruit. 



The fruit was tested by the members and pronounced to be the Flemish 

 Beauty, although the color is lighter than that of those grown in this vicinity. 



Isabella Grapes. 



Dr. R. T. Underbill, of Croton Point, exhibited some fine bunches of Isa- 

 bella grapes, which were pronounced to be very superior. The first grapes 



