interpretation of john bartram's garden by - University of Delaware ...

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1 planted a plumb tree some years ago
in ye moist ground near 2,spring which hath
blossomed and set abundance of fruits but
thay was bit and all dropped off last
spring I dug and cleaned all ye grass from
about it but it signified nothing but I
had three trees, one at ye south end of my
house another at ye north and another on
ye west where thay was daly trod about which
bore perfect ripe plumbs as thick as they
could crowd together 1 have last spring
planted a nectarine tree on ye north end
close to my kitchen door and I design to
plant a apricot tree or two on a cold
northern declivity by my stone quary where
it is never heated with ye sun.
reter Collinson to John Rartram April 26, 1746, Wildman
Transcriptions
To prevent the Depredations of the
beetle I confess is not so easily remedyed
as some other bad effects . . . Suppose as
soon as this bettle is discovered it the
Trees was to be smosk'd with burning straw
under them or at some distance so as to
fumigate their branches at a time the
Beetles are most liable to zttack the
fruit or if the trees was to be squirtted
on by a hand engine with wzter in which
Tobacco leaves was soaked Either of these
two methods I should think if they did not
totally prevent yet at least would secure
so much of these fine fruits as would be
worth the labour of people of Circumstance
who are curious to taste these delicious
fruits of perfection
An englishrnan who settled in Italy
also hzd a problem with the fruits of his
apricots dropping. Philip IIiller suggested
that he Lay a great deal of mulch, rotten
dung, and straw mixed of a great quantity
of Fern leaves or any compost that would
keep the ground moist and prevent the suns
action which is very penetrating in that
country as well as with you . . .
This was successful and since he
practiced it, he has never failed of fruit
in plenty in the greatest perfection . .
If your apricots are too forward plant
them under all disadvantages possible, that