78 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Feb 
unpruned trees, perished, and only one of those that 
were headed back. This one would probably have sur¬ 
vived, had three-fourths instead of one-half the buds 
been removed. 
Mulching. —A correspondent of the Horticulturist 
mulched 50 trees out of 150, all of which had com¬ 
menced growth alike. Those which were mulched all 
lived. Of the hundred not mulched, fifteen perished. 
The weather was hot and dry at midsummer. 
Mania for New Productions. —A new fruit or flower 
of great merit may be profitably bought by a nursery¬ 
man at an apparently extravagant price, for extensive 
propagation and dissemination among the public. Hence 
fifty dollars for a small tree of the Stanwick nectarine, 
or five dollars for a plant of the Diana grape as long as 
one’s finger, may not be wild. The purchaser of Wild¬ 
er’s two splendid new Camelias, at 500 dollars each 
made a large profit, by selling the increase at less than 
a tenth to other nurserymen. But there are many new 
and worthless things also offered at high prices to the 
public, and some knowledge is needed to discriminate. 
We laugh at the famous Tulip Mania which prevailed in 
Holland a century ago, when single roots sold for 2000 
to 5000 florins, and which, as E.D.Mansfield remarked, 
in his address before the Cincinnati Horticultural So¬ 
ciety, il was nearly as strong as the Lind Mania now in 
New-York;” and yet a very large portion of the horti¬ 
cultural public in these States are almost continually 
and as thoroughly deceived, though on a smaller scale— 
a long list of these impositions might be given. The re¬ 
medies are, an increase of general information, and cau¬ 
tion. 
Fruits changed by Climate. —No deterioration of 
fruits appears to have been greater than in American 
peaches, taken to England. Of fifty sorts, from the 
middle and western States, tested at the great Chiswick 
garden, all but two were pronounced u worthless.” 
Brief Hints for the Season. 
There are a few cultivators of fruit, scattered through 
the country, who excel all their neighbors in the suc¬ 
cess which always attends their labors. Every thing 
they set out, grows and everything that grows, advances 
with vigor and health. There seems to be a sort of 
good luck attending all that their hands touch. Now. 
it happens that their good luck is the fruit of diligence 
—their success is the result of labor—real, hard-handed, 
well applied labor. When a tree is transplanted, every 
part of the work is done well, nothing is slighted; the 
soil into which it is set is well and deeply enriched; and, 
most of all, their trees are not neglected afterwards, but 
constant, clean, and enriching cultivation, keep sup what 
is well begun. 
Now we have noticed that one great reason why all 
this essential labor is slightly and badly performed by 
the unsuccessful cultivator, is that he crowds too much 
into a small portion of time. He undertakes to do in 
one day that which would require a week to perform 
properly; and he omits some essential preparations till 
the moment arrives when it is too late to perform them. 
During the present period there are a number of impor¬ 
tant particulars which if now attended to. would lessen 
the pressure of business when spring opens, and con¬ 
tribute greatly to success. 
If trees are to be set out, a good quantity of the ne¬ 
cessary enriching materials are to be procured and de¬ 
posited where wanted; the place for each tree may be 
marked, and old manure, or still better, a good compost, 
deposited in heaps in sufficient quantity. We have 
known apple trees to thrive admirably, by first digging 
large holes, say seven feet across, and then mixing well 
by means of an iron rake a quarter part of old rich 
manure with the soil as it was returned to the hole—* 
leaving enough space at the center to place the 
roots without bringing them into actual contact with 
the manure. Trees so treated, with good subsequent 
care, have borne a bushel each the fifth year. 
A most excellent manure for fruit trees, whether 
newly transplanted or otherwise, consists of about two- 
thirds swamp muck, and one third of stable manure, 
with a small portion of ashes, leached or otherwise. As 
this requires some time for working over, the materials 
should be timely collected; and in some instances it may 
be done now to advantage. 
Trees which are of feeble growth have been imme¬ 
diately restored to vigor by spreading a thick coating 
of old manure (or new, if old could not be had) in a 
broad circular space round the tree, during winter, with 
a portion of old ashes, and then spading in early in spring. 
The spading should lie as deep as practicable, without 
injuring the roots. Three or four inches of manure, for 
apple, pears, and peaches, where the soil was poor, have 
been of great use. The quantity of ashes should be 
just enough to cover the surface, say the tenth of an 
inch thick, which will be about a bushel or two for a 
large tree, and a half peck to a peck for a small tree. 
In top-dressing and spading in manure, one point must 
be well remembered. The roots spread out from the 
tree far and wide, generally much further than the 
length of the trunk and branches put together, and the 
manure should be spread as far as the roots extend; it 
will do but little good to confine the application to a small 
circle just round the foot of the trunk, as too many do, 
where a tenth part of the roots cannot procure a supply. 
Yery extensive experience within a few years has 
proved the eminent advantages of mulching young fruit 
trees, which is commonly done during the early part or 
middle of summer as the drouth of the season may re¬ 
require. But it is often neglected, or if not neglected, 
is very sparingly executed, simply for the reason that 
the material is not to be had at the time wanted. Every 
cultivator, therefore, who intends to set out or already 
has, small trees, should if possible reserve or procure in 
time a copious supply of coarse litter, sufficient to form 
a dressing around every tree, at least half a foot thick. 
Much is often thrown aside or wasted in winter, which 
would be exactly suited for this purpose. 
A constant improvement of his selection is an impor¬ 
tant object with every cultivator of the best fruit. Some 
new varieties prove worthy of adoption, and a greater 
number of old ones are found by trial to be particularly 
suited to certain localities and unfitted for others. 
Hence, some change of his trees by re-grafting must be 
be going on in every good cultivator’s orchard and gar¬ 
den. The kinds must be sought and grafts procured in 
