148     THE WISCONSIN FARMER.



make some response to this important Inquiry.
But would it not be well for the questioner to
specify more in detail the circumstances con-
nected with the trees thus uffected? The situ-
ation, the nature of the soil, the season when
the blight commenced, &c., &c., are important
data.-ED. FARBE.)]



            Siberian Arborvitae.
  AMERICAN AusoRvnTV-Oftenl, though in-
correctly called Rhiet Cedar.-A fine, bushy,



small tree or large shrub, with pyramidal hab-
it, with horizontal branches and handsome flat
foliage of a bright, pleasing green color. Ex-
cellent for screens and hedges; may be clipped
into any desired shape. It transplants easily
and grows quite rapidly.
  There is one objection to the Arborvitse; at
the approach of cold weather it turns brewn-
ish. The SsBURIAu4 ARROBYITAN is free froze
this defect and is muchto be preferred, retain.
ing its dark green color in winter. It is oi
slower growth and more compact habit, havinj
the appearance of being neatly clipped. Ii
makes an elegant lawn tree and is superb foi
ornamental hedges.
  The American is sold very cheaply compared
with which the Siberian is yet somewhat ex
pensive; 50 cents will usually pay for only X
small specimen.                  A. G. H.
  COarVSuos 0.



     A New Way to Protect Fruit Trees.

  MR. EnDITOR:-I your February No., 1863,
I saw a short sketch headed -The Orchard-
Seasonable Hints, Sun Scald," which says
"Protection is readily afforded by tying on
south side of tree lath, strips of bark, long
straw, or by tacking a board on the south side
with small nails." Now my advice to those
who are setting new orchards would be to set



the tree leaning to the southwest, and thereby
sheltering the body or trunk in two ways-by
the branches, and again, the trunk, standing
obliquely to the sun, will never suffer by sun-
scald as those that lean the other way. And
again, by setting young trees -leaning to the
southwest, the most of our hard winds coming
from that direction tend to straighten the trunk
up, so that when it is matured it will stand
nearly erect. I would advise low training, as
the top or branches protect the trunk. If the
former method is advised, after many years of
care and labor, it might be neglected, and the
orchard all be killed, and thereby discourage



and dishearten a whole neighborhood, while it
would take years of persuasion to establish
confidence again.     Wm. FAR-SM, JR.
ToxAv, Feb. 1865.



        The First American Nursery.
  The earlier American Nurseries were few in
number, and, compared with some now exiht-
ing, of quite limited extent,-though equal,
perhaps, in proportion to population.  The
first of which there is any record, and probab-
ly the earliest established, was that of John
Bertram, near Philadelphia, about the year
1730.  Here were congregated many of the
prominent native plants and trees, preparatory
to exportation to Europe-also the fruits and
plants of the other hemisphere, obtained in
exchange for American productions. The spe-
cimen trees planted by the elder Bertram and
his descendants still adorn the grounds, classic
to the botanist and the lover of nature; long
may they stand, living memorials of genera-
tions passed away, our earliest evidence of a
taste for horticulture !-Atlantic for April.



I