190 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



If your committee can offer any suggestions which shall lead to 

 the more diligent and successful cultivation of the apple and the 

 pear, they would consider that they had done a good work. It 

 has been well said, that he who plants a tree of any kind, par- 

 ticularly a fruit tree, not only benefits himself, but also confers 

 a lasting favor upon those who come after him. 



But he who plants an apple orchard in particular, undertakes 

 a work in which not only himself, but the whole community are 

 interested. The apple is truly a cosmopolitan fruit. It is 

 eagerly sought for at all seasons, and in all places. No other 

 fruit can be served in such a variety of forms ; none satisfies the 

 taste of all classes so well as the apple in its perfection. It has 

 been well denominated the " democratic fruit." The question 

 may be asked, Can we cultivate it successfully ? We believe it 

 may be. But there are certain conditions to be observed, and 

 which are indispensable to success. The time has passed when 

 it was only necessary to plant out a fruit tree, without much 

 regard to the manner in which it was done to insure its success- 

 ful growth. This could be done, perhaps, when the country was 

 new, and before those elements which favor the growth of the 

 apple were exhausted from the soil. But now it is not enough 

 to plant a tree, and leave it to the mercy of the elements, or the 

 animals that roam over the fields. 



Probably, at ihe present time, the chief causes of failure are, 

 the want of a proper preparation of the soil, of the selection of 

 trees, and the mode of setting. One great reason why we have 

 so few thrifty apple orchards seems to be, that they have been 

 located in positions which the owner considered unfit for any- 

 thing else but an orchard ; such as old worn-out pasture, or 

 some out-of-the-way place, where they wouldn't trouble any- 

 body, or anybody trouble them. 



Now it is just as necessary to prepare the soil for an apple or 

 pear orchard, as for any other kind of crop. By thorough plough- 

 ing and manuring, and underdraining, if necessary, the soil 

 should be made as loose and pliable as possible. An orchard 

 should never be set in a soil which will retain water for any 

 great length of time, because, although trees set in such a soil 

 may flourish for a time, yet eventually they are certain to fail. 

 A plentiful supply of manure must also be furnished ; generally 



