306 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
and covered with gravel, the last coat being quite 
tine. A heavy roller drawn frequently over the 
surface will make it firm and smooth. 
In setting out trees, we advise to plant sparing¬ 
ly and well. Many country places are planted 
like orchards, in rows, or like the wild forest, 
with just as many trees as the space will hold. 
But we ought to have something beside shade : 
we want frequent open spaces for lawns, where 
the smiling sun may shine in, where grass will 
grow well, and where shrubs and flowers will 
bloom. By all means, leave such spaces, and 
group your trees around them at unequal dis¬ 
tances. Here and there, set a few choice trees 
singly, with ample space to develop themselves 
on all sides. Have a care, however, not to set 
trees in the face of your fine prospects. Shrubs 
and low trees may be set here and there by the 
margins of your road and walks. 
A fine effect is sometimes produced by setting 
large shrubs in occasional masses, so as to con¬ 
ceal views of a portion of the grounds in advance 
of the spectator. If he sees the whole of your 
premises at the first glance, his curiosity is sated 
at once; whereas, if certain parts are shut out 
for the time, his curiosity is kept constantly 
awake. It is a good plan, therefore, to set groups 
of shrubbery and low screens along the borders 
of waits and at their intersections, to conceal 
views before the visitor. And then, the walks, 
as they ramble on through the premises, should 
lead to something which will reward the curiosi¬ 
ty—as, for instance, a rustic seat here, a sundial 
there, a vase, a statue, a fountain, a bed of flow¬ 
ers, etc , etc. 
But the subject of our essav expands, and our 
space diminishes so rapidly, that we must defer 
the conclusion to another time. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Dwarf Pears. 
The extensive failure of pears on the quince 
stock, is leading some cultivators to inquire if 
there has not been some radical error in their 
mode of cultivation. A common practice among 
those who have taken special pains with their 
trees, has been to dig holes five feet square, and 
three feet deep, and then to fill them with a mix¬ 
ture of rotted sods, stable manure, bones, ashes, 
plaster, night soil, etc., etc. Trees so planted 
have sometimes succeeded, but very often have 
failed. Many cultivators now claim that this is an 
irrational mode of treatment. When a tree is first 
set out, they affirm, it is in a suffering condition : 
it lias been rudely torn from its native home, and 
wants time and quiet to recover itself. Why com¬ 
mence stimulating and over-taxing it at once! 
Let it have at least one year to heal its wounds, 
and regain its lost strength. After this, manure 
may he applied in sufficient quantity. 
And then, instead of the deep holes, and the 
deep manuring, it is now claimed that nearly the 
opposite treatment should be given. Spade or 
plow to the usual depth for good tillage, and set 
hut the tree as we do a currant bush. Put no 
manure in the bottom of the hole, and, least of 
II. animal manures. KTeep the roots near the 
surface ; they will strike as deep as is for their 
good. If the roots are set deep, and are encour¬ 
aged to strike lower still, the buds will start ear¬ 
lier in the Spring than the climate will warrant, 
thus producing leaf-blight ; and then in the Fall, 
the warmth of the lower soil will continue the 
growth of wood so late, that it will not ripen off 
well before frost sets in ; this will tend to pro¬ 
duce frozen sap blight. The tree ought to be in 
a state of repose for several weeks before Win¬ 
ter sets in. 
As to manuring, it is held that it should all be 
applied on the surface. This is nature’s way. 
Laid on the surface in the Fall, it protects the 
roots from severe frost, and may be forked in 
slightly in the Spring. A little more applied in 
Spring, becomes a good mulching for the Sum¬ 
mer. This manure, as it gradually decays, sends 
down its fertilizing properties to the roots in a 
liquid form—just what nature demands—which 
is far better than putting gross, exciting substan¬ 
ces directly in contact with the roots. An ex¬ 
cellent compost for pears and other fruit trees 
may be made of burnt or rotted sods, mixed with 
stable manure, which, when thoroughly decom¬ 
posed, may be treated with a little salt and lime 
or potash. For a simple mulch, coal ashes are 
sometimes used with good effect. * 
-<»-<— mo 4) 0"" -►-«--- 
How to promote Fruitfulness in Barren 
Trees. 
To the Editor of the American Agriculturist: 
Many of your readers are not aware that 
“ heading back ” fruit trees is productive of fruit; 
as well as a similar treatment to “ the running 
vines,” of which mention is made in the August 
Agriculturist. The check given to the extension 
of the limbs, by removing the ends of vigorous 
shoots, concentrates the sap in the limbs, which 
causes them to prepare fruit buds. Let the 
“querist” who asks “what he shall do for his 
plum trees, etc.,” try this plan, and not “ cut them 
down,” but “ spare them another year if they 
are trees of a vigorous growth, I doubt not that 
he will be satisfied with the result. It has now 
become so late in the season that they may not 
prepare for the production of fruit next Summer, 
but they certainly will the following Summer. 
This method of concentrating the sap, besides 
being pioductive of fruit in barren trees, will also 
cause young trees to bear much sooner than they 
otherwise would. Dan. Steck. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Protect the Roots of Trees. 
Most trees in this latitude will receive benefit 
by Winter protection. Nature provides this in 
forests by depositing the leaves which have 
formed their Summer clothing, upon the ground 
beneath which most of the vitality is stored in 
the roots. They form a loose covering contain¬ 
ing much air, thus securing several degrees of 
warmth to the surface below. In addition to the 
benefit thus derived, the decaying of the leaves 
supplies a top dressing of the best kind of nourish¬ 
ment for the future growth of the tree. Stable 
manure affords good protection, hut is not so well 
adapted for affording nourishment. A compost, 
in which leaves form the largest proportion, 
spread liberally, at least an inch deep, over the 
whole surface finder the tree, to be forked in the 
following Spring, will be highly beneficial. A tree 
may live and grow without these precautions, but 
its thrift will be greatly promoted by observing 
them. 
The Concord Grape at the South. 
It is gratifying to learn that this grape is suc¬ 
ceeding well at the South and Southwest. Per¬ 
haps no one not pecuniarily interested in its sale 
will claim that it is a first class grape for the ta¬ 
ble ; it. is inferior in flavor to the Diana, Dela¬ 
ware. Rebecca, and even the Isabella, and Cataw¬ 
ba. Yet it must be acknowledged to rank only a 
little below these grapes, and for hardiness and 
prolific bearing it is scarcely excelled. 
It is now being tried for wine-making, and so 
far as we have seen and heard, the result is fa¬ 
vorable, the wine having a very agreeable, fruity 
flavor. As an eating grape and for wine, it is 
better at the South than at the North. The Ger¬ 
man vine growers in Missouri have taken it in 
hand, and are much pleased with it. A Mr. Hus 
man, from Herman, Missouri, writes to the St 
Louis Westliche Post, as follows : “ The Con¬ 
cord grape yielded this year (1858) for the first 
time with me, and seems very suitable for our 
climate ; fruits admirably, large bunch and berry, 
ripens a fortnight sooner than Catawba, good fla 
vor, and is the only kind in our vinevard which 
was not touched at all hv rot or mildew. In a 
few years, I think I shall have a good many Con¬ 
cord grapes in the St. Louis market, and am pret¬ 
ty sure that they will fetch twice the price of 
Catawba.”—A Concord vine we planted three 
years ago, at our place 12 miles east of New- 
York City, is now bearing abundantly, and the 
fruit is about ripe, while the Isabella, near by, 
has scarcely changed its color. The Hartford 
Prolific Grape standing by the side of the Con¬ 
cord is quite as vigorous and fruitful, and the two 
are ripening at the same time. We can scarcely 
choose between them, but think in flavor there is 
a slight difference in favor of the Hartford pro¬ 
lific—to our taste. 
Root Structure—Physiological Curiosity. 
In a recent article in the Gardener’s Chronicle 
(London), it is very pertinently argued, that suffi¬ 
cient attention lias not heretofore been given to 
the nature, laws of growth, and requirements of 
the roots of plants. While the branches, leaves, 
flowers and fruit have be^n thoroughly studied, 
the parts upon which these depend in a very great 
degree for their support, have been allowed to 
seek their living, and contend with their enemies, 
almost without, the aid of science, at least so far 
as it might throw light upon peculiarities in their 
structure, and requisites arising from such pecu¬ 
liarities. Recently, however, the subject ap¬ 
pears to be exciting the interest of vegetable 
physiologists. The Chronicle announces a new 
discovery made, in pursuance of researches 
in this direction, by parties engaged independ¬ 
ently in their investigations, viz.; Professor Hen- 
frey in England, and Messrs. Garreau and Brau- 
wers, in France. It says : “ One thing spemsto 
have been already made out by these careful ob¬ 
servers, namely, that the growing point of a young 
root is always protected from injury by a natur¬ 
al guard. 
It has long been known that in certain plants 
the end of the roots is covered by a kind of cap 
or hood, within which the process of growth is 
carried on. Of this the common Duckweed of¬ 
fers a familiar example, which any one may see 
with the aid of a pocket lens. Another, on a far 
larger scale, is to be found at the end of the stout 
aerial roots of the Screw Pin e{Pandanus), in which 
it looks like a great brown cup. It now appears 
that the structure in question is general, not ex¬ 
ceptional. Mr. Henfrey finds that “ the growing 
point of a root is not at its absolute extremity, 
which is covered by a cap-shaped or hood-like 
portion of epidermis of its own, continuous like¬ 
wise belting with the cambial structure. This 
cap-like sheath of the point of the root may be 
compared with the head of an arrow, forming a 
firm body, which can be pushed forward by the 
growing force behind, to penetrate through the 
resisting soil. This cap is subject to destruction 
and decomposition by external agencies, and is 
less distinctly seen in roots growing in earth than 
in those of aquatic plants. In all cases, it is con- 
