FARMS. 113 



crowded ; indeed the standard stocks are but fifteen feet apart ; 

 and the dwarf trees are between the rows, though so set out as 

 to stand opposite the spaces and not the trees themselves. But 

 the great peculiarity of the system adopted is, the cutting in, or 

 as some Avould say, the annual topping down of every tree. One 

 half of the previous year's growth is taken off in the sj^ring. 

 By this method, the trees arc kept down ; winds affect them 

 less, and they are within reach when pruning and picking the 

 fruit. The Urbaniste is but about ten feet high, and one of 

 this kind has twenty limbs within five feet of the ground. In 

 1855 no manure was used at all ; this year, one-half bushel of 

 tanner's hair with ashes was applied to each tree. 



The apple orchard exhibited the same marks of attention and 

 thriftiness as the pear. From 300 to 400 trees, either already 

 in, or approaching the bearing state, strike the visitor in the 

 most agreeable manner. They stand from twenty to twenty-five 

 feet apart. 



Here then is a farm of but eighteen acres, one-third of which 

 is unavailaljlo, for ledges, yet yielding a most remunerative crop 

 on the remainder. Mr, A. employs but two men and only about 

 one-fifth part of their time is spent among the trees ; or perhaps 

 it might amount to one-half of one man's time. The hay field, the 

 garden, the strawberries, raspberries, &c., require the remaining 

 time. 



There is one object of interest upon this farm deserving the 

 attention of the learned, indeed, some eminent geologists have 

 already been to visit it. It is a glacial groove, or rather two of 

 them, in a solid ledge, one of them having once been a hundred 

 feet long, but now broken up in part. The conjecture is, that 

 it is the effect of long wearing of the ice, in some remote age of 

 the world. Such appearances are found among the Alps, but 

 rarely in our country. 



In concluding the account of this farm, it may be remarked 

 that fruit raising is highly profitable when well managed. Mr. 

 A. relieves himself for a portion of every day's heavy professional 

 duties, to labor among the trees. No physician ever watched 

 the varying symptoms of the patient more assiduously than he 

 does the appearances exhibited in this orchard. And why should 

 it not be so ? As we said before, it must pay. When the price 

 of a half rotten winter Nellis is twelve and a half cents in the 

 15 



