secretary's budget. 433 



that the pap was perennial, and he throws away the peel, disgusted 

 that it isn't permanent. 



KIND OF CROPS, AND HOW LONS TO CULTIVATE. 



I answer this from my own experience. I set my trees 28 feet apart 

 each way, and planted to corn six rows each way, leaving four feet 

 from trees on each side. Pumpkins planted between the trees yielded 

 very large crops. This I did for four years. Each season when the 

 corn was hardening, I let in the hogs, a few at a time, keeping as much 

 cut down as they could eat, so they would not be tempted to tear down 

 that which was left standing. As a result, I had my hogs well fattened, 

 and the stocks and offal left on the ground helped to enrich the 

 orchard. The trees grew finely. After four years 1 sowed one-half to 

 rye among the corn before turning in the hogs ; the other one-half to 

 mixed grasses, except a small corner seeded down to buckwheat for the 

 bees. The rye made a fine growth, and furnished splendid pasture for 

 the hogs. I let the hogs run on this rye for three years, but never cut 

 it. On the fourth year I had a fine crop of" cheat," and trees were in 

 fine condition. I then plowed under the '' cheat " and sowed to clover, 

 and my orchard is healthy, vigorous and in splendid condition to-day. 

 — Prairie Fanner' 



THE HOLLY AUSTIN CRAB ORCHARD. 



Mr. Holly Austin's crab orchard near North Madison comprises 

 1,200 trees of the Hughes Crab variety, planted upon twenty-five acres 

 of land. The trees are set thirty-two feet apart and are fifteen years 

 old. Not a dead limb or a diseased apple is to be seen. The trees have 

 their natural shape, never having been trimmed except with a pruning 

 knife the first three seasons. In consequence the lower branches, heav- 

 ily laden with fruit, rest upon the earth and the upper branches rest 

 upon them in succession. We never saw trees so heavily laden with 

 apples. Many single trees bear from fifteen to twenty bushels. Mr. 

 'Austin estimates five bushels to the tree as an average, which we would 

 think a small estimate. The orchard has been a steady and sure bearer 

 and has yielded seven crops. It is good for twenty years yet, and 

 the cider made from the Hughes Crab by Mr. Austin is said to be un- 

 excelled in any market. There are but two other such orchards in this 

 part of Indiana, one owned by W. P. Levy and the third by Argus 

 Dean. Our farmer friends will ba repaid by a visit to this apple 

 orchard. — Madison (^Ind^ Courier. 



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