Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-11-20
Tbc - farm.
How to Renovate an "Outcast.'

HOW 10 kenOVatc an ''OutCust
by J. b. w, NEW YORK.
It is very rarely that experiments are properly
made or accurately reported. The following
one. on subject highly interesting to every cu-
tivator of the Pear tree on the seaboard. appears
TO be highly satisfactory in both respects.
Such of our readers are familiar with the
Appendix to our work on Fruits are well aware
that we do not believe in the natural running
out of varieties. In other words. we are conf
dent that where variety, once productive and
excellent in certain soil fails, it is for the want
of certain conditions necessary to its success.
Either it has exhausted the soil of those constit-
nents necessary to health and productveness !;
or if the tree is young one, and Immediately
shows signs of decay, it is evident that it has
been propagated from an unhealthy and diseas-
ed stock.
The hints we gave our correspondent below,
were based on some chemical notions, which
were only vague theory then. but which subse-
quent observations have given us greater conf
dence in. The renovating substances that we
recommended in this case, were intended to be
adapted to the peculiarites of the soil of J. b.
W.; but all the alteration which we are able,
even now, to suggest for other sites. would he to
substitute air-slacked lime for charcoal in hea-
,er soils that are naturally deficient in the for
mcr substance.
The salts of iron, and especially snlphate Of
iron. has specific action upon the disease
which attacks, in unfavorable soil or climate. the
epidermis of the pear and other plants. both on
the eafand fruit observations of the OCCASION
al results of backsmith's cindcrs applied to this
tree, in various parts of the country, first drew
our attention to this fact. We have lately seen
a paper, read before the Academy of Sciences
at Paris, by NJ. BoUssIyGALT. bearing directly
on the diseases of plants affected by the salts
of iron, which confirm and extend our own crude
views on this subject. The substance of this
essay we shall. at some convenient moment. lay
before our readers.
In the mean time we beg the attention of our
readers to the plain and simple mode adopted in
the experiment below. II. as we are convinced
a tree which some have condemned as an ''out-
cast from pathological society, may be renova-
ted so ca silly as this, is quite worth while to
"spare" it. The qualities of the substances adj
dad to the soil to renovate it. were. it should be
remembered, applet to tree nearly tW gro~n.
One-half one-fourth, or less. should, of course,
be used to tie ofc rrespondngly less size and
age.
trees. for the better culture of young ones on
soil naturally untlvoraJle.-ED.
To the Editor of the Hortcuurst
You will remember the conversation we had
together three years ago, about the apparently
worn on, condition of my Virgalieu or St Mi
cheal (D1yenn '--ED } pear trees spoke of
them then, in the language of Knight and Ken
rick. as degenerate outcasts." Though they
had once born me excellent crops of fruit. which
had never seen surpassed, yet Tor several years
they had only produced cracked, blighted, miser-
able iruit-indeed such as was absolutely worth
less.
remarked TO You that considered the varie-
" worn out and good for nothing in'my neigh
borhood. and that intended to cut down nv
trees, which were large and fine, and ought to
yield every year several bushels.
NV situation is sheltered one in Westminster
county; and after some enquiries about my soil,
whichis light, though excellent sandy loan.
YOU told me that you believed the trees had eX-
hausted the proper elements from the soil that
in consequence the fruit iaed,and recommended
the, instead OF cutting them down, to renovate
them.
Struck with the force Of your reasoning at the
time which have not leisure now to repeat to
your readers, determined to make trial with
two trees. did so, in the fall of 1913. ! have
now the pleasure OF repeating in writing, what
told you verbally, that have now had two crops
ofbeautiiul fair fruit. excellent as the finest
that grew upon my soil twenty years ago.
As many persons about New York and Long
Island, have trees of the Dovenne or Virgalieu
pear in the same degenerate condition that mine
WERE comply with your request to give a SIM
Pile statement of my proceeding with my trees.
promising in the outset, that it is entirely based
upon the hints that | received from you.
In the month of October, 1913, | took in hand
two large andthrilty Virgaleu pear trees, about
twenty or thirty feet in height. ] first scraped
off all the rough outer coat of bark, and coated
the trunk of the tree over with soft soap, put on
with paint brush. ! next cut out about one
third of all the poorest branches, and shortened
Tn head of the tree one-third, by 'hcading back"
the principal limbs, covering the wounds after
pairing them, with the 'shellac solution Cthe
best thing that have eyer tried,) recommended
on page 80 of the Fruits and Fruit Trees of
America"
then dug trench, four feet wide around the
whole ball of roots, very much as i'll were going
totranspant it, left ball of roots, untouch-
ed about six feet in diameter. The roots-all
the roots. large or small-that extended beyond
tins ball, cut Off and should Judge that cut
OH about one-third of the roots or, as YOU adj
branches reduced.
Inc trench itself, which was four feet wide.
aug twenty inches deep; and carried away all
the old SOIL TO another part of NV pardon
next carried in an equal quantity Of soil from n
field OF good pasture, where the sod had mo, hoo,
broken up for several years, | drew this earth art
composed pretty largely of the sod itself, and
filled the trench around both trees. a'''
To each tree ] then applied the follou,;,,,
substances viz, two bushels of refuse or scor;,s
from blacksmiths forge, two bushels of char :.
coal pretty well broken, and two pounds of pot.
ash well pulverzed. These substances | haf
on the spot, and mingled them with the fresl
soil as it was put in the trench. Afer the trencl
was full of soil containing these stimulants,
had the whole of its contents thoroughly inter
mixed, by turning them over and over aga
with the spade. This is the whole of the pro
cess. Now word about the result.
The first summer after the trees had been or
Grated upon--that of 1874, was surprised an
delohted with the luxuriance and vigor of TIA
new growth 1t was very healthy and had tn
appearance OF that of avery fine young tree