PRACTICAL DIAGKAMS. 



The county of Norfolk is peculiarly adapted to the raising of fruit, from the nature 

 of its soil, its vicinity to the best of markets, and the facilities which it has for selecting 

 the finest varieties. An intelligent, practical farmer, writes thus : — " Much attention 

 is given to the cultivation of fruit. A good orchard of Apples, in full bearing, would 

 probably increase the profits of a farm one-third; and where a variety of fruit is suc- 

 cessfully cultivated, the increase of profits would be one-half, perhaps more." 



Another in Middlessex County, says; — "Considerable attention has been paid to 

 the cultivation of fruit, particularly Apples and Peaches. We send to the Boston and. 

 Lowell markets about six thousand bushels of Peaches, and, in bearing years, about 

 six thousand barrels of Apples. We consider hay, fruit and wood, more profitable 

 than anything we can raise." 



In Essex County, fruit has received " mucli attention. The best kinds of Apples, 

 Pears, Peaches, Plums, and Quinces, are raised in abundance." 



In this county, the cultivation of fruit is of early date. The oldest Pear tree in the 

 State still stands a constant bearer, having been imported from England by the cele- 

 brated Governor Endicott. Importations were then very rare, most trees being pro- 

 pagated by the seed. This tree is now more than two hundred years old. It is a 

 JBon Chretien, though of inferior quality. The exact date at which it was set out is 

 not known. The grant of the land on which it stands, was made to Governor Endicott 

 n 1632 ; and, not many years after that, he had a nursery of young trees not far from 

 the spot where this tree now stands. Some of these trees he is known to have sold 

 to his neighbors, who generally paid in land, the price being sometimes, two acres 

 a tree. 



The St. MichaeVs, St. Germain, Brown Beurre, and some other fine foreign Pears 

 were known and esteemed in this county many years ago. These varieties were pro- 

 bably far better when first introduced into this county, than they are at present. In 

 new lands and mild climates, they are ordinarily better than in other soils and colder 

 climates, where they are apt to be inferior. 



PRACTICAL DIAGRAMS OF THE RULES FOR LAYING 

 OUT GARDENS, FORMING CURVED LINES, <fec.* 



To form a volute where the border is of equal breadth. — The usual mode of forming 

 a volute or spiral line is one of the simplest problems in geometry, and therefore 

 requires no explanation here. The following method is, however, both original and 

 better adapted for throwing up such a figure in groundwork. It is the invention ot 

 Mr. Alexander Forsyth, and was by him first described in The Gardener'' s Magazine, 

 u-om which source our four following figures and descriptions are taken. " Make a circle 

 d the center of your intended volute, as much in circumference as v^^i '"tend the 



* From MclNTOSn'8 Book of t/u) Garden. 



