162 MIDDLESEX SOCIETY. 



The peach orchard consists of two hundred and thirty-eight 

 trees, mostly set in 1846 and 1847, — a few in 1848. The 

 orchard is on the northerly side of a small hill. The soil is a 

 dark gravelly loam. I have kept the land cultivated since the 

 trees were set out, raising principally corn and potatoes, alter- 

 nately, in the orchard. The soil has been manured but mod- 

 erately. I examine the trees twice a year to destroy the peach 

 worm, but a few of which however have made their appear- 

 ance. In the autumn of 1847, observing some of my peach 

 trees look feeble, and give indications of the '•' yellows," and 

 hearing, or reading, that chamber-ley was good to cure that 

 malady, I hollowed the earth around each tree, early in the au- 

 tumn, and during the autumn and winter I had about a gallon 

 of it turned around each. I tried one sickly tree, earlier in the 

 season, with manifest advantage in my opinion ; and I believe 

 it has had a good effect on my orchard generally. My trees 

 were bountifully supplied last autumn, with buds for blossom- 

 ing, but only those on the highest ground showed the petals 

 last spring ; consequently only on the highest ground have I 

 fruit this year. I trim the trees a little in June ; taking off 

 such limbs as prevent getting near the trees with a plough, such 

 as, by being taken off will serve to balance the tree, and such 

 as can be spared where the limbs are too thick. 



Newton, Aug. 28th, 1849. 



William Stone's Statement. 



The subscriber offers his peach orchard for a premium, con- 

 taining about one thousand trees, in good and thrifty condition, 

 in a bearing state, set three years last April. Situated in the 

 west part of Natick. Said orchard is set on high land, one 

 hundred feet above the level of the plain below, on a deep 

 yellow loam, very full of good wall stone ; the natural growth, 

 oak and walnut ; dug out the stone ; what we could not pry 

 out without blasting, were drilled and blasted, so that the soil 

 was ploughed almost as easy as though there never had been a 

 stone on it ; found stone in great plenty to make a good and 



