The Van Buren press., 1872-02-20

The garden. tcmptingly offered to every
land holder in this bright and sunny eli
mate Of ours. Truly said. the subjec
10 almost an inexhaustable one. The
learned pomologist would smile il deri'
sion at an attempt Of the essayist who
ventures into this now highly cultivated
and scientific department on short allow.
ance OF erudtion. 1t cannot, however,
be expected that even were capable OF
writing an elaborate essay on pomolo-
gy, that I should undertake to do so In
an article Of this length. The subject at
large is too voluminous for newspaper
correspondence. ! propose therefore to
confns myself 10 those facts Of the
greatest practical importancs
1st. The coil and locality for an or
chard
I'd. To know what classes and kinds
of fruit are congeRial to our climate.
Sd. The special varieties &c. adapted
to our latitude
4th. The cultivation and treatment OF
an orchard. with the proper fertilizers
when needed &c.
The soil OF even our poorest uplands,
with good drainage and deep plowing. is
rich enough for an orchard until in full
bearing, when it becomes necessary in
such land to add top dressings Of ashes
or lime and any well -otted or cold manure
about the roots Of the trees annually. The
highest location is best for peaches, pears
and grapes, whilst the rich alluvial bot.
toms, with fair mixture OF sand, and
good drainage, is preferable to uplands
for apples, more especially the early va
rietics, and little lime or ashes occa.
sionally thrown around the roots Of trees
in those localities 10 all the manuring
that ever becomes necessary. The dis
tance apart that apple trees should be
planted depends much upon the quality
df the land upon which they are planted.
On very thin land Is feet each way Is
about proper, and varying from IL to ~
feet on the richest and strongest lands.
Proper pruning (which may be done at
any season, though the best 10 when the
sap is in fullest dow, should never be
neglected as the tree advances in growth,
and consists chiefly Ia taking out all
limbs coming in contact with each other,
and the removal Of all suckers aud water
sprouts as they appear on the stem or
about the roots Of the trees. The ques.
ton is often asked what kind Of crop 10
most suitable to all orchard Cotton is
undoubtedly the most suitable crop. But
almost any crop that 10 to be plowed and
hoed, and with proper care not to scar
and skin the young trees is desirable.
But small grain or grasses OF any kind
should never be sown in your orchard.
The distance apart and treatment OF
peach trees differ somewhat from that Of
the apple From l6 to Is feet each way
may DC set down as about proper, with
about the same general culture 40 that
Of the apple, except that the pruning Of
peach tree consists chiefly In shorten.
ing back the side branches, and IL you
would have choice peaches, almost one
half Of q previous years growth should
be regularly cut back. 1t should always
be borne in mind that the peach is
attended by fatal enemy, the Borer.
This Icathsome pest consists OF what 10
known to cntimologists as the segeria
eritiosa, or large white worm with
small black head. which gets in under
the bark just beneath the earth, and fire.
quently girdles the entire tree IL not re-
moved, which should be done every
Spring. April being the proper time.
The presence Of the borer may readily
be determined by the appearance Of an
cxudation OF glue just at the top Of the
ground, and its removal consists OF
scraping or scooping out the dirt with
the bunch Of glue and fading his hole.
and with sharp pointed knife remove
the bark down along his path until you
find and cxterminate the villain. Moth
ing can be applied that will kill the worm
which will not kill the tree also. Ashes
or lime applied by making a small EN-
bankmens or mound just around the col
lar OF the trees in April, after the borers
have been taken ont, will prevent any
more getting into the trees for that and
the next season. though once the egg is
laid and hatched and gone into the root.
no ashes, or lime. or any other substance
will kill him or prevent his rayages, that
will not seriously injurs or kill the tree.
The apricot and nestarine are trees Of
the peach family, and require one and the
same treatment, except, perhaps, the ap-
rcot does not require shortening back
as the peach and nectarinc does, but be-
ing grated or budded on the peach root,
is subject to the ravages Of the borer
alike Pear culture, in its present ad'
vanced stage, has become q matter OF
leading interest in our country. There
are two modes Of propogating the pear.
One by grating or budding on the young
pear seeding, called standard trees; the
other BY budding on the ounce riot,
called dwarfing. In oil cases the pear
requires high, dry, and tolerably rich
soil The dwarf trees are generally pre-.
fsrred Tor several reasons. First they
are most snitable for the garden, being
small, low trees; second they commence
bearing from three to four years old.
whilo toe standard trees, some OF them,
not bearing to do any good under ten or
twelve wears: and lastly, the dwarf trees