186 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



communication from a gentleman residing in the eastern part of 

 the county, who has devoted much time and spent considerable 

 money in renovating an old orchard and setting out a new one. 

 From his long practice and experience in orcharding, he is well 

 prepared to speak upon the subject. In the closing part of his 

 article — which is here omitted — he makes the true and well known 

 remark, that "a man may read and well digest all the written 

 works in the world on fruit-growing, and still he will need practice 

 and careful observation to well understand and master the busi- 

 ness." lie writes : — 



"Almost every farmer in this vicinity has more or less apple 

 trees, cither old or young, or both ; and from 1840 to 1857 there 

 appeared to be a growing desire to increase the quantity and im- 

 prove the quality of apples. 



Many orchards of all ages and conditions were grafted, and 

 others set, mostly, however, with trees from New York nurseries. 

 These latter have proved almost a total failure, and the former, 

 owing either to a want of skill in setting the scions, or subsequent 

 neglect, or both, have signally failed to meet the expectations of 

 their owners. More especially has this been the case with orch- 

 ards that had been set twenty-five years or more. Younger trees 

 have succeeded better, though it can hardly be said that they have 

 proved a success. These unfavorable results added to tlie dis- 

 astrous effects of the long-to-be-remembered winter of '56 and '57, 

 have left a very general impression that apple-growing is at best, 

 an uphill business. But be that as it may, it is a notorious fact 

 that most of the orchards in eastern Somerset are much neglected. 

 Usually, they are kept in grass which is either mowed or fed by 

 sheep and swine. They are seldom cultivated or manured ; occa- 

 sionally imperfectly pruned, and thus left to take care of them- 

 selves. Such is the practice generally, I think, in northern Maine. 

 The cultivator inay as reasonably look for good crops of corn as 

 of apples without manure and care. 



To insure success, trees must be relieved of the numerous tribes 

 of insects which prey on their fruit, leaves, bark and wood. Of 

 all the depredators on the apple tree and its fruit, in this vicinity, 

 none equal in mischief the apple-worm, (codling moth,) and the 

 borer in the branches. The moth destroys the apples and the borer 

 kills the trees. The borer in the trunk is readily detected by the 

 saw-dust, and easily removed ; but not so with the bark or branch 

 borer. This insect enters the bark when it is very small, and there 



