274 Nursery Gardens and Horticulture 



. Peaches, pears, and apples, are the fruits most grown in 

 this and the neighbouring states. Apricots and nectarines 

 do not succeed, except in very fine seasons ; the fruit being 

 punctured by a species of Curculio, and dropping off about the 

 time of stoning. Gooseberries do not succeed except in some 

 few shady places ; currants do very well. What surprised 

 me most was the short duration of the peach trees, which 

 seldom bear longer than from three to five years: they are 

 attacked by worms at the root, and die soon after. The best 

 remedy found out yet, is to keep a large stock of young trees 

 always ready to plant in the orchards, when the others die. 

 The inconvenience resulting from the short life of these trees is 

 in great measure obviated by the facility with which a nursery- 

 man can procure a young stock. There is now in this nursery 

 above 2000 young and healthy peach trees, which will bear 

 fruit next year : the stones were sown eighteen months ago ; 

 they were budded the following August, and are now from 6 

 to 10 ft. high, and are well branched and formed for standards. 

 . Before I left London, several young gardeners begged of 

 me to let them know what encouragement there is for such 

 persons in this country. I know there are very erroneous 

 opinions entertained by many regarding the subject of emigra- 

 tion to America. Some come here (I mean gardeners) with 

 an impression that, although they know but little, they can 

 easily impose themselves as " finished hands " on the Ameri- 

 cans, who have not yet reached that high pitch of refinement 

 which the British have. Now, Sir, I dare say you are aware 

 that the Americans are a very matter-of-fact sort of people; and 

 what with " guessing, calculating, thinking, and reckoning," 

 they soon find out the pretender, and despise him accordingly. 

 It is but justice to add, that the very best gardener may find 

 some little difficulties in his way at first, from the spirit of 

 rivalry which every thing British creates among the vulgar 

 here. A great number of the American workmen's anec- 

 dotes are directed against the aristocratical bearing; of Enajish- 

 men ; nothing gives greater delight to the rustics than to 

 hear of the Honourable D. S. or Lord John P. having been 

 the last served, or badly served, at an inn, for being surly to 

 the waiters, &c. &c. On the other hand, if the American 

 workmen can drive a nail, or split a log, or row a boat, or 

 shoot a bird with a rifle, a little more expertly than a Euro- 

 pean, they think they are superior in every thing; but they 

 are much mistaken. They are, it is true, very active at de- 

 sultory jobbing ; but for constant and well- finished work, and 

 gardening work too, I believe an American is as much in- 

 ferior to an Englishman, as a Choctaw Indian is to the former. 



