350 AGKICULTURAL REPORT. 



FliUnS I\ THE GADDEX. 



In soil suitable for a garilon, apples, pears, peaches, plums, chemes, quinces, 

 and grapes may be cultivated with success, especially if proper shelter 

 is provided. The trees in the garden should be so arranged as not to 

 injure by their shade the other plants. When trees have become so large as 

 to shade the greater portion of the ground, scarcely any vegetables can be 

 profitably cultivated among them. Currants, gooseberries, and beans will do 

 better than any others. Grass can be raised with profit under trees, but trees 

 will not do well in grass, unless, perhaps, where the land is freely top-dressed 

 every year. When young trees are making wood so freely that they do not 

 produce fruit, which is sometimes the case in a highly manured soil, it may be 

 expedient to lay down to ^rass for two or three years. The land should then 

 be ploughed, and the decomposition of the sod fertilizes the soil. 



A successful fruit grower of my acquaintance has practised the following ro- 

 tation in the culture of his orchards : The first year, plough, manure, and plant 

 potatoes ; the second year, plough, manure, and sow oats and clover, and mow 

 the oats for fodder ; the third year, take off the clover crop and plough in the 

 fall, preparatory to the potato crop which is to follow. Thus the land is 

 manured two years out of three, and good crops of oats and clover are taken 

 off', and a tolerable crop of potatoes, without apparent injury to the trees. 



Of all fraits gi'own in the northern States the apple is the most easily raised, 

 the cheapest, the most durable, is capable of being used in more ways than 

 any other, and is probably the most wholesome and nutritious. Every family 

 uses apples to a greater or less extent. Where sweet apples can be had at low 

 prices they are used as commonly on the table as potatoes-, and, since the high 

 prices of the latter have prevailed, have been even more extensively used in some 

 districts. Sweet apples require no sweetening, and baked, stewed, or made 

 into puddings or pies are delicious and nourishing food. The garden cannot 

 take the place of the orchard, but every garden should contain an " Early Har- 

 vest" tree, a '• Sops-of-wine," a "Williams," a "Porter," and a "Fall Pippin," 

 and two or three early sweet apple trees if possible. In a large garden, a part 

 of which is appropriated to fruit, many other varieties, such as come into use 

 at different seasons, should be introduced, so as to secure a supply for the 

 whole year. By a little care when planting the trees this may easily be done. 

 One acre in well selected varieties of apples will yield more food to the farmer's 

 family than the same amount of land in corn or potatoes with half the outlay 

 in money and labor. 



A common error in apple culture is the setting of the trees too near each 

 other. Thirty feet apart is better than nearer. Apples need sun and air 

 Ko fruit, unless it be the grape, is more dependent on the sun for its flavor and 

 color than the apple. Where it is intended to cultivate the soil by the plough 

 and horse hoe, the trees should not be permitted to branch too near the ground. 

 Some varieties, as the Ehode Island Greening and the- Bellfiower, have the 

 habit of branching low. These should be planted where the soil may be culti- 

 vated with the spade. By properly pruning the lower limbs when the trees 

 are small they may be trained to a better habit. Trees that have branches 

 too low in the nursery should be rejected. 



Pruning is an important matter, and one which I have not place here to 

 discuss. I will only remark that spring pruning should never be allowed. 

 From long experience I am satisfied that June and November are the best 

 months for this work. 



PEARS. 



In the cultivation of pears a deep, rich soil, well drained, is absolutely 

 necessary to success. In a cold, wet soil disease commences at the root ; the 

 juices become stagnant and unfit for vegetation. Pear trees M'ill suff'er from 



