_Oranges, &c._--If the cuttings of _Lemons_ or _Oranges_ are placed
in a pot, or box, so as to _touch_ the bottom of it, it will
considerably facilitate their growth.
_To preserve Peaches from frost._--After a cold night when there is
any appearance of frost on the _bloom_, or _young fruit_ of peach
trees--wet it thoroughly with cold water. Even if the blossoms are
discoloured, this operation recovers them, provided it is done in
the morning before the sun shines upon them.[10]
[10] This seems to be analogous to the condition of a frost bitten
joint or limb, which is recovered by the application of cold water;
but injured, sometimes destroyed, by being brought near a fire, or
the influence of sudden warmth.
_Method of forcing Fruit Trees to bear fruit._--With a sharp knife
make a cut in the bark of the branch, which you mean to force to
bear, and not far from the place where it is connected with the
stem; or if it be a small branch, or shoot, near where it is joined
to the larger bough. The cut is to go round the branch, or to
encircle it, and to penetrate to the wood. A _quarter of an inch_
from this cut, you make a second cut, like the first, round the
branch, so that by both encircling the branch, you have marked a
ring upon the branch a quarter of an inch broad, between the two
cuts. The bark between these two cuts you take clean away, with the
knife, down to the wood, removing even the fine inner bark which
lies upon the wood; so that no connection whatever remains between
the two parts of the bark, but the bare and naked wood appears white
and smooth. But this bark ring, which is to compel the tree to bear,
must be made at the right time, that is, when in all nature the buds
are strongly swelling, or are breaking out into blossom. In the same
year a callus is formed at the edge of the ring, on both sides, and
the connexion of the bark that had been interrupted, is restored
again without any detriment to the tree, or the branch operated
upon, in which the artificial wound soon again grows over.
_New mode of preparing Indian Corn._--Take the corn in its green
state, when it is fit to eat; boil it; then cut it off the
cob--spread it on a cloth in the sun to dry--put it in bags, and
when boiled again, it is as sweet and good as when first pulled.