1850. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
171 
growth is feeble. As soon as the growth is sufficient 
to give the tree strong and well established roots, 
whether it be the first or second year, clean and mel¬ 
low culture is the best treatment which a tree can 
receive. 
Pruning the. Peach. 
A correspodent says, “ I have noticed that much 
is said about shortening-in the shoots of peach trees, 
commencing young and continuing annually—-but I 
wish to know what to do with my trees, now seven 
or eight years old, and which have never been pruned. 
Will it do to cut them after the leaves have begun 
to appear, as has been asserted?” 
We have found great advantage in pruning back 
the peach, even when the trees have been long neg¬ 
lected. A case once occurred where an old tree 
was greatly improved by the rough and random 
trimming it received from the tempest, which swept 
away a part of its limbs. 
The treatment which an old or neglected tree re¬ 
ceives, must be somewhat different from the annual 
shortening-in of young shoots. It becomes neces¬ 
sary to shorten-in on a larger scale, and with a freer 
hand. Even three or four feet may be taken off at 
a stroke, where the form of the tree appears to re¬ 
fruit, and to improve astonishingly the flavor. The 
above figures may possibly be of use, in pointing out 
more particularly the mode of performing this kind 
of pruning • a representing a common, well-grown, 
unpruned tree, and b the same, with such branches 
as may be cut away indicated by dotted lines. 
In connection with pruning, it is quite essential 
to give the trees a good mellow soil by cultivation, 
and if needful to enrich it by manure. Pruning alone, 
is insufficient to restore a neglected tree. With the 
two combined, those not actually enfeebled by old 
age, may be made to send out new and strong 
shoots, and to acquire the vigor of young trees. 
Their duration, with subsequent annual pruning, 
will be greatly increased. 
The pruning of the peach may be performed, ap¬ 
parently, quite as well, after the leaves are partly 
expanded, as early in the spring—such, at least, is 
the result of several experiments. In the more 
northern states, it may therefore be accomplished 
during the early part of the present month. 
Supports tor Runners. 
Small or slender climbers, as the Cypress-vine and 
other Ipomeas, the Madeira vine, Aristoloehia, &c. 
present the best appearance when supported on a 
light frame, with some symme¬ 
try or regularity of appear¬ 
ance. Some of these frames 
were figured in our first number 
for this year. More irregular 
or rampant climbers may be 
borne aloft on a post with holes 
cut through it at intervals, for 
the passing and repassing of 
the flexible stem with its thick¬ 
ly clustered branches. A still 
more wild and irregular ap¬ 
pearance is obtained by set¬ 
ting, as a post in the ground, 
the stem of a cedar tree, with 
portions of its larger branches 
left to support the climbing 
verdure. Both of these sup¬ 
ports were figured in this pa¬ 
per last year. Some difficulty 
has however been felt. The 
single post requires some care 
and skill to cover it properly; 
and the armed cedar post is not 
always easily procured. In its 
absence, the following is a 
good contrivance. A single post is planted with 
horizontal arms fixed in holes bored for this purpose, 
as shown in the above figure. More irregularity 
is obtained by placing these arms alternately at right 
angles with each other. No nails are used in this 
support; it is firm and strong, and if made of dura¬ 
ble wood, will last many years. 
Curious Insect»Catc!iers. 
The following very interesting fact is stated in S. 
B. Parsons’ New Haven Address, where he urges 
the importance of employing various animals for the 
destruction of insects, as the ferret is employed to 
destroy rats:—-“I recollect visiting some years ago, 
an intelligent physician in the West Indies, who had 
trained some lizards to take the flies from his face 
when asleep. To show me their skill, he leaned his 
head against the side of the summer house, closed 
his eyes, and immediately, half a dozen-bright little 
fellows, three or four inches long, appeared near 
him.- Their glistening eyes twinkled with expecta¬ 
tion, and the moment a fly made its appearance on 
any part of the Doctor’s face, one or more of them 
w„ould dart like lightning across his face, scarcely 
touching it, but carrying off the unfortunate fly.” 
The same Address further states that “ a French 
agriculturist had a hundred pairs of the bird called 
