(jQ^j HALL COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



of good quality I have fruited for years. Strawberries grow 

 ill large patches in half shaded situations of my grove. 



My fruit trees, planted in the year 1863, first bore the 

 Early Richmond cherry, in 1867 ; the first peach in 1871, and 

 the first apples and pears in 1872 ; since that time the trees 

 gradually bear more and more. I have gathered seven bushels 

 of crab apples from a single tree in one year. I aim to sub- 

 ject all my fruit trees at least once annually (in May), to a 

 thorough wash with soft soap, from the lower limbs down to 

 about three inches below the surface of the ground, and look 

 carefully after the little twig borer and other injurious insects. 

 In September I protect my young trees against rabbits and 

 hares, by either applying a wash of blood to the tree-trunks as 

 high up as these animals can reach, or wrapping with tar 

 paper. My old bearing trees and vines I manure with well 

 decomposed stable manure and Avood ashes (top dressing) dur- 

 ing late Autumn or Winter. Many varieties of forest trees 

 as well^as fruit trees, will not endure the ravages of grasshop- 

 pers, ivlien this pest happens to make a prolonged stay with us 

 in the month of August ; but the forest trees enumerated in 

 the foregoing have proved either entirely iron clad, or to be 

 the least affected. 



In Spring and Autumn, I sell forest and ornamental trees 

 out of my plantation, in sizes to suit customers, as also fruit 

 trees and other nursery stock of the kind, which so far 

 have proved best adapted to this country, and soon I hope to 

 be able to supply the home market with considerable fruit. 



STOCK. 



I keep but four horses, — for farm and orchard work exclu- 

 sively. 



I have seventy-two head of a good grade of common 

 American cattle. I aim to increase my herd in numbers as 

 much as possible, and have had for some years a nearly full- 

 blooded Short-Horn bull running with them. I sell annually 

 all oxen that have reached the age of three years, and occa- 

 sionally, when special opportunities are offered, I sell good 



