By Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq. 39 



by the female parent, and these regulate the bulk of the lobes 

 and plantule : and I have observed, in raising new varieties 

 of the Peach, that when one stone contained two seeds, the 

 plants these afforded were inferior to others. The largest 

 seeds, obtained from the finest fruit, and from that which 

 ripens most perfectly and most early, should always be se- 

 lected. It. is scarcely necessary to inform the experienced 

 gardener, that it will be necessary to extract the stamina of 

 the blossoms from which he proposes to propagate, some 

 days before the farina begins to shed, when he proposes to 

 generate new varieties in the manner I have recommended. 

 When young trees have sprung from the seed, a certain pe- 

 riod must elapse before they become capable of bearing 

 fruit, and this period, I believe, cannot be shortened by any 

 means. Pruning and transplanting are both injurious; and 

 no change in the character or merits of the future fruit can 

 be effected, during this period, either by manure or culture. 

 The young plants should be suffered to extend their branches 

 in every direction, in which they do not injuriously interfere 

 with each other; and the soil should just be sufficiently rich 

 to promote a moderate degree of growth, without stimu- 

 lating the plant to preternatural exertion, which always 

 induces disease * The periods which different kinds of 

 fruit trees require to attain the age of puberty, are very 

 varied. The Pear requires from twelve to eighteen years ; 

 the Apple, from five to twelve, or thirteen ; the Plum and 

 Cherry, four or five years, and the Vine three or fpur ; and 

 the Raspberry, two years. The Strawberry, if its seeds be 



* The soil of an old garden is peculiarly destructive. 



