118 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



except where they were killed at the roots last winter as they 

 were in very many instances where the roots were not protected 

 as they should be. I have some two hundred peach-trees 

 planted three to five years which look well considering that 

 they were planted on a northern hillside in a very unfavorable 

 location. Quite a number were killed in the root last winter, 

 which gives them a sickly, dying look which some people 

 would take for the "yellows," but that is a disease I have not 

 seen at all for several years. These bore pretty well this 

 season, some of the trees bearing one-half to one bushel each. 



Last spring we planted five hundred and fifty peach-trees 

 in a good location, on a southerly hillside, the soil a good 

 sandy loam. No manure of any kind has been, or will be, 

 applied except a good handful of wood ashes to each tree. 

 They look splendidly, and I never saw a better lot. I should 

 recommend for this county Early Crawford, Large Red Rare- 

 ripe, Coolidge's Favorite, Old Mixon Freestone, Mountain 

 Rose, Hale's Early, where it does not rot, and that would be 

 on high, dry soil, where it would be good and the most 

 hardy and productive peach of the whole lot ; also Stump the 

 World, Late Crawford, George 4th, Yellow Rareripe, etc., 

 the varieties preferred in the order named. 



I should set peach-trees at one year from the bud in early 

 spring, for orchard planting, say sixteen or eighteen feet apart, 

 or on very good land twenty feet, and should trim at any time 

 in summer when young, but when old and in bearing, just 

 after the fruit has set in the spring. I have not for several 

 years seen any "yellows" or borers in any of our peach-trees. 

 The "curl of the leaf" I think is caused by climatic influence, 

 as it occurs nearly every spring. AVe should be happy to have 

 you or any one interested see our place, and think you would 

 be pleased with our peach orchard. We have a nursery of 

 twelve thousand peaches budded this season. 



Statement of Joseph W. liopes, Danvers. 



I have been engaged in the cultivation of the grape about 

 thirteen years, commencing with small vines purchased at 

 different nurseries, some of which were probably raised from 

 unripe cuttings, requiring several years of careful nursing 



