Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1848-01-08
For the Boon's Lick Times.
AGRICULTURAL.
OCcI pENTAL EssAYIsr.
mo. ~

Fruit Trees-Rotation of Crops--Animals
and their Buildings.
In our climate fruit trees will thrive and
produce some fruit in almost any soil, ex-
cept dry sand or wet swamps; but light
sandy loan is the most favorable for the
growth of trees, as well as the production
Of their fruit and the development of
good varieties.
In the catalogue of Messrs. John Siger-
son d. Brothers, Nurserymen. of st. Louis,
which was sent to me last summer, OBJ
serve list of 10 varieties of Apples,
90 of Pears, 60 Of Peaches and 25 of
plums, besides l 8 different kinds of orna.
mental Trees, Shrubs. Roses, &c. am
personally acquainted with two of the gen
temen comprising this firm, and know.
from experience, that any orders addressed
TO them will be promptly attended to, and
that their packing will secure their safe
reception at any part of the United States.
II is my intention to send this number of
the Essayist to that house, and, to save
writing to them, will here say that the
publication of their advertisement in the
Times" will, in my opinion, insure them
the patronage of the whole Boon's Lick
country. 1t would be well, perhaps, for
them to establish agencies at the principal
river towns. No fruit tree should be
planted in hole of less size than three
feet square and two feet deep. To this
size and depth the soil should be well pull
verified. Many make their holes four or
five feet in diameter, or three times the
size Of their roots, and it is incredible
how much their luxurance and vicor of
growth is promoted by this course. The
tree should be planted not more than an
inch or two deeper than it previously
stood, or with the graft just beneath the
surface. Acoid deep planting if you would
have all your trees live. as crowding the
earth hard about the roots, which shuts out
all air and moisture; two Of the most re-
quisite ingredients for their start and growth
to maturity.
Orchards. particularly young orchards,
must be cultivated in Corn, Hemp, or
Tobacco, or any other crop that will insure
a light, clearly state Of the soil. Meadow
or pasture land is death to fruit trees. and
farmer intending to treat his orchard
in this way may as well, at first, cut down
his trees-putting an end TO them at once,
rather than to suffer them TO be dying for
a year or two in this way-killing them
by inches, or rather numbering them in
cool blood. Autumn is the best season
for transplanting trees.
Apple trees, planted in genial soil and
favorable situations, sometimes live to be
quite old. l read, not long since, of an
apple tree, near Hartford, Conn. brought
from England, and planted where i, now
stands, tuo hundred and eight gears ago,
which brought a small quantity of fruit
the present season. The tree has only a
mere shell of the trunk, with few small
green branches.
Rotation Of Crops. Chap,el, in his Man
uel, observes: ITO lay down general rules
for the regular rotation of various crops,
without regard to the difference in various
soils, would lead to errors tending to bring
rotation altogether into disrepute. Every
kind Of soil requires particular system of
rotation, and every farmer must arrange
his own system, according to his especial
knowledge of the nature and composition
of the soil Of the field he cullivates." Nv
observations and experience have satisfied
me that-Corn or Tobacco; wheat, or
other small grain; and clovcr--composes a
triennial succession that, in Missouri, gen.
orally, ranks above any others. Doubtless
there may be exceptions to this arrange.
ment, and the judgment Of the practical
farmer will suggest them.
Animals and their Buildings. No person
Of common feeling can pass through the
country, during winter, without shudder,
as he beholds the COW, that contributes so
richly TO the growth and hopes of the rising
genera,on-the patient OK, the steam en-
CINE of the farmcr-.lhe horse, his road
car--the sheep, his clothing slore-or the
Hog, the partner Of the staff of life, which
he cultivates, all and each shivering in the
sleet-hovering in the fence corners. or
croWding one another to the death uDon n