1848. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
577 
Fall Transplanting. 
Persons of limited experience differ in their opinions, 
as to the relative advantage of spring and fall for 
transplanting trees, while the most experienced fruit 
growers prefer the fall for all hardy kinds. 
Some believe that the apple, pear, plum, &c., can 
be moved with the least injury in the fall ; while the 
peach and apricot will succeed best in the spring. 
Mr. Downing says, in relation to the peach ,— 11 North 
of New-York, it is better always to make plantations 
in the spring. South of that limit, it may usually be 
done with equal advantage in autumn.” 
My experience has confirmed me in the opinion, that 
in our latitude fall planting for the peach is better 
than spring, if set on dry ground ; and they should be 
placed on no other. 
On the 5th, 6th, 8th, and 9th of November last, I 
set in the orchard one thousand five hundred, worked 
on budded peach trees ; and now, on examining them, 
find that all are alive but ten ; the trees are not only 
alive, but are making a good growth, so that the rows 
©an be seen half a mile. 
I have six hundred peach trees, which have been in 
the orchard from three to five years, the most of which 
were transplanted in the fall, with success equal to 
those set last autumn. 
The manner of preparing the ground, and treatment, 
of those set last fall, has been as follows : The field 
was sowed to buckwheat last season; after that was 
harvested, straight furrows were plowed one rod apart, 
then furrows were run the other way the same dis¬ 
tance ; where the furrows crossed each other was a 
mark for a tree, and the plowing assisted in digging 
the holes. The roots were set no deeper than the plow 
run ; they were hilled up a little more than would be 
required for spring planting. 
Early in the spring they were examined, to see 
whether all had kept their position, and if the frost 
had started any during the winter they were attended 
to. About the middle of June each row was plowed, 
the same as a row of eorn, with a two horse team, 
having a short whiffletree for the off" side horse ; two 
men followed the plow and hoed each tree. 
The ground has since been plowed clean and sowed 
to buckwheat, but none allowed to grow within two 
feet of the trees. 
This field occupies a high and bleak position ; front 
being a level eminence, the balance sloping north and 
west. E. C. Frost. Seneca Lake, Highland Nur¬ 
series, Catharine, Aug. 1st, 1848. 
Raising Pear Trees From Seed* 
A series of questions in regard to raising pear stocks 
having appeared in the Massachusetts Plowman, they 
were answered in a veryjudieious and clear manner by 
James W . Russell, of Nelson, N. H. The questions 
and answers are as follows: 
1st. What kind of soil suits the pear seedling the best ? 
Ans. A deep mellow loam from 18 in. to 2 It. deep 
on clay or hard pan bottom. 
2d. What kind of manure is best? 
Ans. Compost manure that has been thoroughly 
worked, until it has in some measure the appearance of 
an ash heap. 
3d. When is the best time for sowing the seed ? 
Ans. November, as late in the month as the ground 
«an be worked. 
4th. What kind of pears are best for seed ? 
Ans. The wild or Perry pear. 
5th. How long time should they be allowed to grow 
in the seed-bed before they are transplanted ? 
Ans , Sixteen months from the time of sowing the 
seed, or plant out into Nursery Rows as early in the 
spring as the ground can be worked. 
6th. Is not the tap root essential to a vigorous growth 
of the young stock the first year ? 
Ans. Yes, it is. 
7th. Should they be allowed to remain in the ground 
without being taken up the first year? If so, what is the 
best way to protect them from frost ? 
Ans. By mulching with horse manure 3 or 4 inches 
thick amongst the plants. 
8th. Is there any remedy for the blasts which strikes 
the leaves during summer, thereby stopping the growth 
of the young tree at once ? 
Ans. Great depth of soil, and a slight mulching 
when the drouth commences. 
9th. What is the best method of destroying the lice 
which feed upon the young stock, and check its growth 
while they remain, if not for the remaining part of the 
season ? 
Ans. A strong decoction of tobacco-water, with a 
small portion of urine from the cow mixed wuth it; the 
young stocks must be immersed in this fluid. It will 
be seen that a wide and shallow vessel will be needed 
for this purpose to hold the wash; from three to six of 
the young stocks may be immersed at once. It should 
be remembered that a cloudy day, or to commence 
three hours before sunset, should be the preferred time 
to perform this important business. 
10th. Finally, how should the soil be best prepared 
for the growth of the young stock ? 
Ans. By trenching the ground two feet deep, and by 
digging in a bountiful dressing of the aforesaid com¬ 
post manure, before the sowing of the seed and before 
transplanting the stocks into Nursery Rows. 
Finally, by keeping the ground clear of weeds, and 
frequent hoeing through the season, the cultivator may 
have every reason to expect that his labors will be 
crowned with success. 
Tongue or Splice Grafting, 
Editors of the Cultivator — I notice the mode of 
grafting small trees pointed out by E. M. Hoyt, (pp. 
214, 2)5,) in the Jfoly No. of your paper. 
I would suggest as an improvement upon this mode, 
a plan which I have practiced with success, (and which 
I believe is common among nurserymen,) that of ma¬ 
king a split in both stock and scion, and dovetailing, as 
it were, the two together, taking care always that there 
shall be a meeting of the inner bark of the stock and 
scion on one side at least; then wind round soft bass¬ 
wood matting, to keep the scion in place, and covering 
the parts with grafting wax or grafting clay, applied 
over the matting to exclude the air. 
The superiority of this mode, commonly called tongue 
or splice grafting, consists in the support afforded by 
the tongue, (or the dovetailing of the parts,) to the 
scion; it is much less liable to get displaced, in applying 
the covering to protect the parts from the air, than the 
mode practiced by Mr. Hoyt This mode of tongue- 
grafting, is performed by many upon small trees, with¬ 
out putting any bandage round the parts; but in this 
case, the stock is usually cut below the surface of the 
soil, the scion is then placed properly upon the stock, 
and the earth drawn up over the stock, leaving merely 
the tip of the scion exposed to the air. Nine in ten of 
the scions thus inserted are sure to live; indeed the 
work must be done in a very bungling manner, where 
stock and scion are both in good condition, if there is a 
failure. 
Whip, tongue, or splice grafting, may be performed 
upon small stocks in the house, as well or better than 
any where else,—and earlier in the season than it would 
be comfortable to perform it in the open field. 
