Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1849-05-18
The Peach Tree,

lUC ECdCu AtCt1
At a meeting Of tho Farmers Club Of the A.
mercun Institute to-day, Mr. PelI, one of the
most intelligent and successful Of our scientific
farmers besides reading an able essay on the
general economy of The farm, and its manage.
menI with regard to stock, manurps, &C., stated
Ihe results Of his experience in the culture ol
the peach tree. Contrary TO the more common
usage, his practice was to apply the pruning
knife very freely 10 his peach trees. He gave
them rich soils, and stimulated their growth, but
at the same ume kept them down by very close
pruning, or, as he termed ii, Excessive pru.
ming" This practice, he believed, increased
the quantity oI ruil, preserved the health of the
Tree. and prolonged its life. While others, who
sul' red their trees 10 grow without pruning,
were losing them NJ FIVE, six, or seven years
old, he had them in good bearing state thirty
years old. His advice was to prune the peach
tree freely. lie thought there was no danger
of pruning it TOO much.
Dr.. Underhill, also quite n scientific farmer,
who has done much 10 Improve the culture Of
the grape aud other fruits, then stated his expe.
rjcnce and theory with regard to the peach tree.
lie believes thai the great trouble with that Tree
arises from ils TOO rapid growth; aud that this
is The cause o! disease and premature death so
common aud so dlScuurogIng in its cultivation.
1t is tree which, in II nouriShing soil, grows
with great rupidity. 1t is sometimes pushed up
from the seed SIX feet in height and three or
four inches in circumference in single season
But the stem thus produced contained but very
liuc carbon or woody fibre. II wns a tissue Of
sap vessels enormously dslendrd; and the greul
bulk Of It's contents was actually nothing but
water aud snp, When winter came on, This
tender shoot was OF course l-prepured to with
stand rigor. It's abundant Juices would freeze
like an iclcle. The texture aud fbres of tho
tree would be unduly strained and disorganized
It's vessels und uquoducIs in future were out of
order and could not perform their proper func.
tons. They became lcuNy or full Of obStruc-
lions. Perhaps the tree might come to bearing
for year or Two, but "the young disease, which
must Suhdue atleLgIh, grows with It's growth and
strengthens with lis strength" The Tree soon
begins to sicken with the ''yelIowS." or some
other trouble, aud droops aud premalurcly dies.
To prevent such disaster, he believed il ne.
cossary to give the tree more Time To grow; and
instead of stimulating the growth, the endeavor
should be 10 make grow more slowly. With
this view Of the matter he had commenced eX.
perimenls six or seven years ugo upon the peach
tree, raising them from tho seed in The poorest
and lhlnnest soil, and giving them no extra
nourishmenI. The result so far had been as he
expected. They had grown steadily, but very
slowly; anl they were almost as solid and hard
us hickory. They had never yeI shown any
symptoms Of disease, and did not appear to sui.
l r from the cold Of winter. 1t would require
quite Il number of years YET 10 give the expert.
menI full aud fair trial, but SO far every Thing
appeared to confirm his theory. With regard
10 pruning he had generally pruned moderate.
Iy. IGuecs weregrowingrapidIy he believedlhc
system Of pruning proposed by Mr.. Pell would
be useful, as il would knock lhotree on The head
as il were, and in some degree check its growth.
In confirmation of the theory advanced by
Mr.. UnderhIl, Judge Van Wyck stated thai he
had seen peach trees in Virginia fifteen or TWEEN.
| ty ycurs ago, which, he was told, were a hun.
cred ycarS old; and they were then in u bearing
sla'e; bu''hey were growing on u very poor and
thin soil.
Judge Mcigs read translation which he had
mnde from the Paris Horticultural Review, on
The subject of general grating Of fruits, which
stated thai xpermenthasShown fruits wer,
improved by see0nd aud third engrallngs, tha
is engrajHng on a graft Cor. MAJ. Ipf.