196 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



them, and of good length ; and, as far as possible, trees that 

 have been newly taken from the ground. 



Having obtained our supplies from the nurseries, our own or 

 others, the spot in which to locate them should be selected with 

 care and judgment. It is held by those who should know, that 

 a young orchard should not be set on the site of an old one, from 

 which worthless apples have been taken ; and that no kind of 

 fruit trees should succeed the same sort. But the apple may 

 be set where pears and grapes have been grown, and so vice 

 versa. Rotation may be as essential in fruit as in any other 

 crop. As to the nature of the soil, it is said that loamy land 

 suits the apple, but in setting out young trees we must be sure 

 to dig the holes deep enough to go below the clay pan, so that 

 the roots can extend downward. They will not do as well 

 where they are kept above the hard clay. By thus digging 

 through we can drain the top soil of the undue amount of wet 

 which otherwise often exists there, to the injury of the trees. 



It will be all the moue favorable for the young trees to get a 

 good start, if the ground has been well dressed and prepared the 

 year before setting out. Labor, pains and skill should not be 

 spared in the setting of the trees ; then manure the grounds 

 bountifully every year, especially while the trees are young. 

 Wood ashes are good, put near them. Home-made superphos- 

 phate is recommended as an excellent manure for pears. 



We are counselled by experienced fruit growers to remove 

 old orchards and plant new ones, because the old harbor 

 insects. 



Having planted an orchard, it is maintained that special care 

 should be taken, particularly in loamy land, to keep out grass. 

 This is regarded as one of the greatest enemies, especially in 

 such ground. It is the opinion of some that orchards, particu- 

 larly while young, should be kept under constant cultivation. 

 Insects and mice, we all know, must be combated. To keep 

 off the latter enemy, the dressing around the trees for winter 

 must be old and free from straw. As relates to the canker- 

 worms, it is remarked that they " remain but few years, and can 

 be successfully fought." 



In the matter of grafting, the Williams apple and the Graven- 

 stein were recommended at the country meeting of the State 

 Board of Agriculture, last autumn, as the best to graft into old 



