152 CUMBERLAND COUNTY SOCIETY. 



invitation, we visited the grounds of Mr. C. A. Leach, (formerly the 

 Gunnison farm.) Considerable has been expended in ornamenting 

 these grounds. Many choice fruit trees also have been planted; but 

 the destroyer has been there since last Autumn, and a large number 

 of them are gone or materially injured. Mr. L. has commenced an 

 experiment in renovating an old orchard by plowing and manuring, 

 and although the plow was run very lightly, a great number of the 

 roots were broken and now protrude above the ground in all direc- 

 tions. It seems like harsh treatment to destroy so many of the 

 feeders of trees, but the result will prove whether the experiment 

 is j)racticable ; and whether successful or otherwise, it is hoped Mr. 

 L. will make known the result for the benefit of others. 



Passing through Upper Gloucester, where we observed a good 

 show of fruit trees, less injured by the winter than those nearer the 

 seaboard, we came to the Shaker village at West Gloucester. Here 

 we were cordially received by Mr. Sawyer and his associates, though 

 we took them by surprise, as the notice of our visit had unfortu- 

 nately been omitted. "VVe did not examine the whole seventeen 

 hundred acres of their possessions, but confined ourselves to the farm 

 proper of five hundred acres, the garden of five acres, and the mills. 

 The limits prescribed to this report forbid our noticing a tithe of 

 what we heard or saw here and elsewhere ; but we cannot forbear 

 speaking of the neatness and order of everything about these prem- 

 ises, particularly the garden, under the special charge of Mr. Hewett 

 Chandler. Lying upon an eastern slope, it has been terraced and 

 made nearly level ; trenches have also been dug to the depth of two 

 feet. The crops just starting, (June 17th,) gave promise of an 

 abundant harvest. The mills and garden have, evidently, hereto- 

 fore engrossed the best efforts of this fiimily. The farm at large, 

 the worn out fields, sward-bound mossy pastures, and the old orchard 

 ■are now to be renovated, and. there is not the least doubt, in the 

 minds of your Committee, that whatever is undertaken will be done 

 well. 



Diverging from our route, we step over into Androscoggin county 

 to call upon the "Poland Shakers," of w^om Isaiah . Wentworth is 

 the leading man. A drizzling i^ain kept us within doors most of the 

 time, but it could not stop Isaiah's thoughts or tongue, and these 

 seldom move except for some definite purpose. The large stone 



