82 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



Statement of George Pierce. 



The orchard which I present to you for premium comprises 

 five acres of land. The younger part contains eighty-seven 

 trees, which have been set fifteen years, and have been in 

 bearing about eight years. Thirty-eight of the trees are the 

 Williams variety, and the remainder are miscellaneous varieties. 

 The older part contains about sixty trees, which are about 

 thirty years of age. Most of them are Baldwins and Porters. 



The soil is a sandy loam, and the subsoil is light and sandy. 

 My mode of cultivation is a thorough jiloughing in the spring 

 and fall, and a thorough cultivation through the summer. I 

 spread on about five cords of stable manure per acre every 

 other year. The ground is planted mostly with squashes, 

 which are manured in the hill with two shovelsful of as good 

 manure as I can get to each. 



My mode of pruning is to cut out all the superfluous limbs 

 and suckers. Where one limb crosses or rides upon another, 

 I invariably take it out. I do not hesitate to prune at any 

 time of the year, but never cut in close except in the latter part 

 of May or the first of June, when I re-cut all the limbs that 

 have been cut at other seasons of the year, and were left two or 

 three inches in length, as the sap is in active circulation then, 

 and the healing process goes on more rapidly. 



I make it a chief point to keep the trees clear of all cater- 

 pillars, canker-worms, and other vermin. I have contended 

 with the canker-worms for twelve years, and by so doing I have 

 been able to get ja good, fair crop of apples during the whole 

 period. 



1827 00 



Account of the Product of the Orchard of George Pierce, in Arlington, 

 for the year 1867. 



217 bushels of Williams apples, sold for 



78 bbls. of Porter apples, sold for 



87 bushels of Hubbardston Nonesuch, . 

 207 bbls. No. 1 Baldwin apples, 



45 bbls. No. 2 Baldwin apples, 



26 bushels miscellaneous varieties, , , 



93 bbls. cider apples, 



:99 bushels pears, difierent varieties, 



12,439 18 



