136 MIDDLESEX SOCIETY. 



ing, Winter Sweeting, Danforth Sweeting, and Sudbury Sweet- 

 ing. While 1 have been raising these trees, volunteers have 

 been plenty in sounding the cry, that there is no profit in rear- 

 ing an orchard. But this season we have had Shropshirevines 

 to eat, sweetings to bake, and a few for market. On the trees 

 set out in 1840, there are a few bushels of Baldwins, Russets 

 and Winter Sweetings. With these prospects, I am determined, 

 let men talk as discouraging as they may, not to give up, if the 

 Lord be willing, until I have set out in the beautiful town of 

 Wilmington, one thousand apple trees. Of the 700 trees I have 

 set out, the loss has been as follows : one by mice, one by a 

 young bud getting loose, and three by the borers. The 695 

 now living, I shall leave it for the committee to judge how they 

 appear. 



Wilmington, Sept. 9th, 1850. 



George M. Baker^s Statement. 



My apple orchard consists of ninety-eight trees, of which 

 fifty-one were set in the spring of 1846, and the rest in 1849. 

 The soil is a light sandy loam, and previous to its being 

 ploughed for an orchard, was covered with bushes, briers, and 

 stones. The ground has been planted with corn or potatoes 

 every year since 1845. I have put upon it yearly about fifteen 

 loads of compost manure per acre, which has kept the land, 

 after taking off the crops, in about the same condition from 

 year to year. The first two years I washed the trees with ley, 

 made by dissolving a pound of potash in two gallons of water. 

 I have been troubled but little by insects. 



Lincoln, Sept. 1850. 



Schuyler Parks^s Statement. 



The apple orchard, which I offer for premium, was set out in 

 the spring of 1843. The trees were then two years from the 

 bud, and are not less than seventy-five in number. The soil 

 is a deep, rich loam, on a plain which had been long cultivated 

 for corn and potatoes. I used no manure in setting them out. 

 That season I raised a crop of potatoes on the land. The next 



