The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-02-07
RURAL READINGS.

the requisites of peach culture /. To pre-
pare thoroughly, clear and enrich the soil
for planting. 2. To give plenty of room,
or plant % or 30 feet apart. 3. Not to
shorten-in the branches. 4. To do great
deal of work among the trees-plowing,
narrowing, cultivating, allowing no grass or
weeds. 8. To hunt the borers once year,
in autumn. 6. No raising corn and pota-
toes, except the first three years, in the
orchard, and then only provided fertilizers
are applied. z. After the third year to
plant nothing, but cultivate thoroughly.
The objection to shortenmg-in the roots
is that it tends to nproductiveness, and
| the formation of dense, unyieldiDg head,
and increases the difficulty of gathering the
| fruit. 1t is obvious that when performed,
the necessary thinning in connection with
shortening-back was omitted. 1t may be
impracticable to do this on large scale, or
| in 100-acre orchards. In some localities
this cutting back has been found the easiest
way to effect the desired thinning of the
| fruit-an operation that has tripled the
size of the peaches, and tripled their price,
in cases which we have known. Cutting
| back, if properly done, increases the vigor
| of the trees, and makes old trees bear the
large, fine specimens commonly found only
on young trees yet it may be adapted to
amateur culture only, in ordinary practice.
The thorough cultivation was believed
by owners to keep the curculios within
bounds, and so rapid was the growth inn
parted to the trees, that orchards only
four years old had trees with heads 20 feet
in diameter, and Is feet high. The culti-
yators are broad, reaching nearly half way
from row to row, and doing work rapidly.
The varieties preferred are North's Ear
ly, Early York, Stump the World, Craw-
ford's Early, Oldmixon Free, and Craw-
ford's Late. Hale's Early has failed, from
its liability to rot.-RWdI Home.
PROFIT OF TIMBER CULTURE.-In es-
timating the profits of timber culture in
| the United States, all calculations must of
necessity be prospective, and without the
pretense of eXactness, since no one can
foresee what may be the value of timber
when the increasing demand, and the con-
sequent rapid destruction of the forests,
shall have produced the scarcity which is
inevitable. 1t is the general opinion Of
these who have considered the subject,
| that lands in the rural districts planted
with valuable timber will, in twen-
| ty-five years from the present time,
| be of greater value than any other.
Some of the best kinds of timber thrive
mon very moor soils or on rocky and
broken lands. so that tracts almost worth
less for anv other n,lrnose NAV bv cover
inc them with trees. be rendered the most
valuable nart of an estate. The Iarch
nlantations of the Duke of Athol in SCOT
land, were made upon land worth nom
| ninepence to one shilling per acre. AT
thirty wears from planting the trees were
thinned to four hundred ner acre. which
was considered the proper number to grow
to large size. The value at different aqes
was estimated az follows:
400 trees per acre, at 80 years old ...s s75
400 " 4S :, :. $3.50
Am /" 30 90 /" '"''''''''" ~ i3'o 000
II ,ot ho,voua,. ,,,oosso,,,, 80 ,,o;+ a..
~ yoars Gov for,nt ,,io',t.t W ""S NJ I'm
t,3, Of t;r,hou r;oid i.o.,,,,s IT,. Laea ny
tha ovn;rat;on ~ that t,na iT The oeao Di',
th;nn;nps Of n,H u;ctor , ash r az e
ond R;roh nlo T,tat;o,,s 49,, , In,."S CIV
boon-nolasp and wben too Iarad for th o
nurpope ers Of voIne far NOW other , sns'
Rural Home.
AM Jupopr.Nr FAcr ,r c,.,r
Orr TrpE NUaro ,,o would ,naut;nn !. =
fact which hoe coma w;th;n CIV nhso,,,os
ton and axner;ence Which I e nsua Tr i%
trna ;s of sonic ;,nnortanca T. 3 tb;s 10y
That tbe tb;rd frp;t h,'d FROM, sb .i' b.so
Of tbe nset vaar,s cane throws ' oHt
larger and oh bottsr deve,onad h,'n UIo o of
oranas thor e;thar the f;rOt or s o' Th y,
orapes fron, thaso h,ds saara aI.n ho.tau
33anorod and is aonaro1l1 s "sU 80 -
thnsa ' ~ tsat 0i a NY s supeiloi ~ w
sccor,.nno With th;s hint hon 40
adonted tho No, Of on ,r ~ ~ nav, nav
Of sunh Ianott ., 20 o1I aams .h en0 th aJ
bud eenerallv and sometimes tbe fourth
when a good strong one, and then rubbing
off the first and second buds, and leaving
the third and fourth for fruit. The num-
Der of fruit buds left on any vine must de-
pend on the age and strength of the vine.
If the vines are strong and vigorous, at
three years, from two to three punches of
s,;aPes may ue aii9 Th ~ mature on eacn'
hmi.nous lnJuly. ny lie1. year: lne HUH
az. az, may =. iioi e anu 81 oh increasing
sns quan.lty VI p nui' p Will 'iie age oi Tie
'n'0A a'9'o A'"" 'es''
CULTIVATION OF OLD ORCHARDS
The Country Gentleman says that John
Morse of Cavnpa N has found of lotn