184 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



leaves by which it can obtain from the soil and atmosphere its own 

 nutriment. Each bud or eye has its portion of the nutriment 

 assig-ned to it. The larger the tuber, the more buds belong to it. 

 So that it often happens that the eye on a potato of moderate size 

 has as much nutriment stored up for its future growth as the eye 

 of a large one." 



The annual value of the potato crop in the county is estimated 

 at not far from $7,000. 



6. — Orcharding, 



The soil of Somerset county is well adapted for orchards. The 

 cold winters, the careless treatment of the owners, and the rav- 

 ages of the borer and other insects, are draw-backs which can be 

 remedied only in part. A large number of farmers give no atten- 

 tion to their orchards ; the trees are neglected, and although they 

 are acquainted with the fact that their orchards are growing un- 

 productive each year, and multitudes of trees are left to die, yet 

 the efforts put forth to renovate them are very limited. The large 

 demand for apples, however, for the Boston and New York mar- 

 kets, during the past few years, and the generally high price for 

 very nice fruit, have led many farmers to devote more attention to 

 the culture of their fruit, and to the better care and improvement 

 of their orchards. 



By far the larger number of the orchards in the county are old ; 

 that is, trees which have never been grafted, and in other respects, 

 left to take care of themselves. "Where such orchards are found, 

 three things are necessary to be done in order to improve their 

 condition. First, manuring. If the farmer regards it as import- 

 ant to return to his tillage land in mannre what has been taken off 

 in cultivated crops, why should not the same rule follow in regard 

 to the orchard which has produced fruit year after year with no 

 application of manure whatever ? 



In manuring an orchard it is quite as important to have the 

 whole ground well dressed, as to have the land near the tree in 

 good condition. In manuring old trees, the best method is that 

 given by Jo}in J. Thomas, author of the "American Fruit Cultur- 

 ist." His remarks are as follows : — 



"When old trees become feeble, there is no better way of im- 

 parting to them vigor, tlian by manuring. Instead of adopting 

 the more common practice of digging a circular trench around 

 them and filling this with manure, the operation may be performed 



