38 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
made a growth the first shoots an inch and a quarter in j 
diameter. In the former instance, the trees were put in 
holes barely large enough to receive the roots; in the 
latter, they were dug six or seven feet in diameter, and 
fifteen inches deep, filled chiefly with the loose soil 
thrown out. In the former the roots had to work their 
Way through the undisturbed subsoil; in the latter they 
penetrated freely through the artificial bed of mellow 
earth. Much of the success in growth depends on dig¬ 
ging very large holes, (at least 7 feet in diameter,) yet 
there is nothing we have found more difficult to induce 
others to practice. 
The distance asunder, is a point which should be at¬ 
tended to in transplanting. It is desirable that no ground 
should be lost by too great distance; and not less so, that 
the trees be not crowded. It is much better however, 
that they be too far than too near; for the same evils re¬ 
sult from close planting as from want of pruning—the 
fruit will be small and of inferior quality. But by allow¬ 
ing plenty of space, it will be properly exposed to sun 
and air, and become fine and well grown. Another ad¬ 
vantage in distance is, that it admits more freely of the 
cultivation of the ground for other crops. Different spe¬ 
cies of fruit require different distances, according to 
their respective size of growth. As a general rule, ap¬ 
ple trees should never be nearer than 25 or 30 ft., but 
better if further—pears 15 or 20 ft.—peaches not less 
than 20 ft.—apricots 15 ft.—plums 12 or 15, and quinces 
10 ft. Different varieties of the same species often vary 
considerably in size; thus the Bough apple and Tallman 
sweeting are small trees, and the Spitzenburg and Pen- 
nock are large—the early white Nutmeg and early Ann 
peach are small, while the Early York and Grosse Mig- 
nonne are more than twice their size. But this in gene¬ 
ral need not be taken into account, as mere varieties do 
not commonly differ greatly in size. 
Guarding from the attack of the Curculio, is another 
important requisite. This insect rarely touches other 
than smooth stone fruit. The nectarine, apricot, and 
plum, are most liable to injury; but the cherry, and the 
earlier varieties of the peach frequently suffer from its 
attack. It is most effectually destroyed, if hogs are 
allowed to feed under the trees during the season the 
punctured fruit falls; for as this immature fruit con¬ 
tains the larvae or worm for next yea'flT insect, it is 
eaten and destroyed by the swine. Hence all smooth 
stone fruit should be placed in a separate part of the 
fruit garden, to be enclosed by a temporary fence, for 
confining the necessary number of hogs. Poultry, and 
especially geese, will accomplish in some degree the 
same end. 
An important point in selecting varieties, is to furnish 
a regular succession in ripening. The whole value of 
some kinds of fruit, depends almost entirely on their time 
of ripening. Thus, if the cherry matured its fruit with 
the peach, it would be but little esteemed. The impor¬ 
tance of early varieties of the best species is therefore 
obvious. A proper selection will yield a constant sup¬ 
ply of some kind of fruifc throughout the year. Straw¬ 
berries may be had from the latter part of the fifth month 
(May,) till winter.* Raspberries for six weeks prece¬ 
ding wheat harvest. Cherries, from early in sixth 
month (June,) till the same. Apricots and plums 
commence ripening- a little before harvest, the former 
continuing for a few weeks, the latter three months. 
Peaches may be obtained from wheat harvest till au¬ 
tumnal frosts. Pears and apples will furnish a supply 
from harvest till the season of strawberries and cherries 
the following summer. Selections, as complete as prac¬ 
ticable, of varieties for succession, will be given here¬ 
after, when we come to speak of the various kinds in¬ 
dividually. 
Transplanting properly, is a point of the very first im¬ 
portance. When the trees are taken up, care should be 
taken that the roots are mutilated as little as possible, es¬ 
pecially the small fibrous roots which contain the feed¬ 
ing mouths or spongioles. If large trees are to be re¬ 
moved, they should have all the larger roots cut off at a 
convenient distance from the center, the previous year, 
so that a new set of fibrous roots may be thrown out 
* We have seen a dish of them picked the first day of winter. 
near the tree. Great care should be taken that the roots 
never become dry; to prevent this they should always 
be immersed in mud as soon as dug up, and then dusted 
with sand or dry powdered earth. Should they acci¬ 
dentally become too dry, cover the roots and most of the 
tree well in moist earth, till the moisture is restored; or 
should they be frozen, burying the roots before they can 
thaw, will save them by gradually extracting the frost. 
The holes in which they are to be set, should never be 
less than seven feet in diameter, and fifteen inches deep; 
turf inverted, or muck, should be placed in the bottom, 
and finely pulverized rich mold, but never manure, 
should be well shaken in among the roots, so that they 
may be well packed on all sides, leaving no cavities. A 
pail of water thrown in before the hole is quite filled, 
has been found highly beneficial in settling the earth 
well about the roots, and should never be omitted. Less 
fertile earth, may be filled in most remotely from the 
tree. After the tree is set, which should incline a little 
to the southwest to protect .the stem from the hot sun, it 
should be braced with one or more stakes inclining to¬ 
wards it, and secured by tying. Or only one stake may 
be driven close to the tree, before the hole is filled. 
Transplanting in autumn, is generally preferable. 
When trees are to be transported to a distance, there is 
not sufficient time in spring; and when the distance is 
small, if they are removed early in autumn, while yet in 
a slowly growing state, the spongioles which may have 
been broken off, will be replaced before the growth 
ceases. The only case in which fruit trees should not 
be transplanted in autumn, is where the more tender 
kinds, such as apricots and peaches, are taken to a cold¬ 
er region of country, in which instance there would be 
a danger of their destruction by the frost of winter. 
The subsequent management, consists chiefly in keep¬ 
ing the ground well cultivated, and free from weeds. 
This may be effected in large orchards, by plowing and 
planting low crops; in small gardens by spading once a 
month, for several feet on each side of the tree. This 
is of the greatest consequence; nine-tenths of the losses 
of transplanted trees in many parts of the country, arise 
from neglected after-culture, and the destructive influ¬ 
ence of contiguous shading crops, weeds and grass. And 
even where the trees live, a miserable stunted existence, 
instead of a healthy, vigorous, and free growth, is the 
result of such careless treatment. Sown crops of grain 
are highly detrimental. 
To prevent trees being gnawed by mice, tread the snow 
repeatedly round them. This is an effectual remedy, and 
should not be neglected, as the labor is small in compa¬ 
rison with the loss of fine trees. Clean culture will pro¬ 
mote the same end, by destroying the hiding places of 
these animals. 
Insects upon the trunk, may be destroyed by white¬ 
washing, or by washing with soft soap or weak lye. 
Before closing our remarks for the present, we wish 
again to urge the importance of proper transplanting and 
culture. Many suppose that a period of fifteen or twen¬ 
ty years must elapse before an orchard is in a good bear¬ 
ing state. This opinion results from the general prac¬ 
tice of digging small holes, and neglected after-culture. 
Proper management would bring most fruit trees in good 
bearing condition, in five or six years at farthest. In¬ 
deed, so much depends on previously preparing a broad 
deep bed of loose soil, that for obtaining a speed?/growth 
of ornamental trees on a plantation, Loudon, (whose 
authority is first among the first,) greatly prefers a pro¬ 
per preparation of ground and planting young trees, to 
Sir Henry Stewart’s celebrated method of setting out at 
once, large trees for this purpose. 
The best methods, and essential requisites, for success¬ 
ful budding and grafting, pruning, and the remedies for 
the diseases and injuries of insects, will be treated of 
hereafter. J. J. T. 
Macedon , Wayne co., 2V. Y. 
FATAL. EXPERIMENT. 
Our friend, D. Tomlinson of Schenectady, informs us 
that two of his neighbors having *seen some publication 
recommending oil to kill caterpillars on fruit trees, ap 
plied oil to destroy worms on plum trees last spring, and 
all those trees died from the oil. 
