HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 97 



trees. His friends said they would never grow, and ridiculed him, 

 but he succeeded in having the best orchard in that county. 



There are two points to be kept in view in keeping an orchard 

 healthy. I think that after a tree has acquired its growth it then 

 needs to be fed sufficiently to keep its vitality up. If it is overfed, 

 there is a tendency to produce a growth of wood instead of fruit. I 

 think there are quite a number of points of this sort that ought to 

 be kept in mind in order to give us proper ideas as how to treat 

 apple and other fruit-producing trees. 



President Elliot. There was one question that I asked Mr. Som- 

 erville in regard to blight, which he did not answer. I would like 

 to have him state whether through high manuring of his orchard 

 his trees have been affected with blight. 



Mr. Somerville. They have been affected but very slightly with 

 blight. My Transcendents blight a little but not enough to do any 

 particular harm. When I find a limb blighted, I cut it off, and 

 the result is, I am not troubled much with it. Those are the only 

 trees in my orchard that blight at all. Nor have I any sun-scalded 

 trees. I don't think you can find one in my orchard. 



President Elliot. Your Duchess trees are planted close enough 

 together to afford protection to each other? 



Mr. Somerville. Yes, they occupy a space of seven by nine rods. 

 I put the ground in thoroughly good condition in 1862, and then I 

 took my plow and made furrows eight feet apart each way, in the 

 same manner as if I were going to set out corn, and then I com- 

 menced and set my trees along the first row sixteen feet apart, and 

 in the next row eight feet, but between the two. In that shape I 

 went over and set out fifty trees in 1862. They are a solid block 

 and cover the ground, almost, in the summer time; their limbs are 

 interwoven. They have borne fruit every year since 1866, and 

 there are 49 of those 50 trees living today, sound and healthy. 



President Elliot. They are on a strip of ground seven by nine 

 rods. 



Mr. Somerville. Yes, sir. I sold more than four tons of apples 

 off the trees on that strip of ground this past year, and still had 

 some left for our own use. 



President Elliot. Now, I want to inquire in regard to the nature 

 of your soil. 



Mr. Somerville. My soil is a clay soil with a northern descent. 

 I have the orchard well surrounded with evergreens. 



President Elliot. How high are you above the general level of 

 the country? 

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