172 Orc/tards in Grass. 



promoting the objects of the Society and the science of American Pomology. Each 

 contributor is requested to prepare a complete list of his collection, and to present 

 the same with his fruits, that a report of all the varieties entered, may be r.ubmitted 

 to the meeting as early as practicable. 



The Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture have kindly appropriated 

 five hundred dollars, and liberal sums have been promised by other generous patrons. 

 See premium list. 



An increased interest will be given to the occasion by the Grand Exhibition of 

 Plants and Flowers by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, which will occur at 

 the same time. 



Packages of Fruits, with the name of the contributor, may be addressed as 

 follows: "American Pomologieal Society," care of E. W. Buswell, Massachusetts 

 Horticultural Society, Boston. 



All persons desirous of becoming members can remit the fee to Thomas P. James, 

 Esq., Treasurer, Cambridge, Mass. Life Membership, twenty dollars; Biennial, 

 four dollars. 



Boston, Mass. Marshall P. Wilder, President. 



Orchards in G-rass. 



BY J. A. D. 



IF a man desires fruit for himself and family only, and is indifferent as to the time 

 he gets it, and indifferent about the quality and quantity, then he may plant his 

 trees in grass ground and keep them in that condition, but if he intends to make the 

 business of fruit-growing a dependence for a livelihood, he would hardly be satisfied 

 to wait from twelve to fifteen years for results that might be obtained by good 

 culture in seven or eight years; nor would he be likely to be pleased with the 

 moderate returns from common or inferior fruit, while his neighbor was receiving 

 high prices for a superior article grown on ground where fruit was the only crop. 



It is true that there are soils so rich, that culture would give trees an excessive 

 growth, and not only postpone fruitfulness, but make them liable to be injured by 

 severe winters. 



An experienced horticulturist would not choose such a soil for an orchard. 



One great advantage of having the ground under culture is, that it enables the 

 orchardist to give his trees a more uniform growth without regard to condition or 

 unfavorable seasons. If his trees are loaded with fruit or the season unusually dry, 

 a more frequent stirring of the surface will generally keep up the desired vigor, but 

 if the trees are in grass and the season very dry, he is powerless to help the case 

 and can only watch and worry to see his trees almost cease to grow, the leaves turn 

 brown and the fruit drop for want of sustenance, and perhaps gets very little con- 

 solation as he listens to his neighbor's merry whistle while following his cultivator or 

 harrow through his orchard, unconcerned about the weather and wicked enough 

 perhaps to wish that everybody else believed in the "grass theory" so that he will 

 be able to get an extra price for his extra fruit. 



St. Joseph, Mich. 



