EDITOR Western Horticulturist: In all of the older portions of our country are to be seen many old orchards of apple trees, that are in a dilapidated condition, and hence the question naturally arises as to the disposition to be made of them. In some cases the attempt has been made to rejuvenate these, by means of a systematic pruning, followed by a cultivation of the field for a short time, with the view of giving new life and vigor to the tree, in the hope that thereby a new lease of fruitage may be gained.

May it not be supposed that the apple tree, like all other natural objects, continue to grow to maturity, which, having attained, must of necessity pass to the decline of life; also that as it requires, according to analysis, large quantities of potash, soda, and carbonic and phosphoric acids, in order to insure a full development of the fruit, if these are not restored by a systematic fertilisation, the soil will be greatly exhausted of these elements, and so unable to grow fruit to any perfection, and as another effect, the tree must feel this want of natural sustenance, and so be hastened in its journey to decay? And when this is once commenced it is " love's labor lost" to attempt any permanent restoration. This is one apparent cause of the decline and feeble condition of so many orchards. While it is by no means agreeable to attempt the cultivation of such fields, there are ways and means by which this may be accomplished, such as pasturage by swine, the spreading of ashes, salt, and other manurial substances.

Now although there are many who favor the attempt to restore old trees, it is very evident that it cannot be accomplished with any hope of success, for if the seeds of decay are once planted in the parent stem, this must, in a certain measure, be imparted to every part, as is seen in the want of vigor and fruitfulness of the tree; then if felt in the growth of the branches, it must extend to the perfection of the fruit, which will be found to be sadly wanting. This being the case, how much better for the farmer to secure some favorable locality, and therein plant an orchard which shall be full of vigor, being on an unexhausted soil, and which, by proper care, will survive for years, furnishing valuable and perfectly developed fruit, and hew down the old orchard, "and cast it into the fire," that it may give room to a more desirable, and less unsightly production. The attempt to preserve the old trees that have passed their prime, and the reproduction therefrom, by means of grafting, is one great cause of the decline of some of the old established varieties, which are rapidly giving way to those of modern time, and which give promise of better success in their cultivation; because if the proposition that "like produces like" is true, a tree grafted from one past its prime will never develop so perfect specimens of fruit, as from one full of thrift and vigor, so that fruit, like all other vegetable productions, must be reproduced from seed in order to maintain a good degree of strength of growth, and productiveness of fruit; and the more this is practiced, the better it will be for the fruit raiser.