88 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



instead of an axe in trimming ; cutting off the branch smoothly 

 that the wound may soon heal. 



We consider any season of the year better for pruning than 

 March and April — the time when it is most commonly done, 

 at which time the sap flows freely from any wound which is 

 made, to the great injury of the tree. 



PROFITS. 



Aside from the great convenience and pleasure of having a 

 succession of good apples in their season, a surplus may readily 

 find a market either for feeding to stock if very plenty, or for 

 cooking and eating. As the population in our cities and 

 manufacturing villages is constantly increasing, and at the 

 same time the value of the apple becoming better appreciated, 

 the demand for it increases with the production. 



For the past three years, owing to a short supply, apples have 

 sold readily at from four to six dollars per barrel. Those 

 orchardists who have been so fortunate as to have apple-trees 

 under their care that were only moderately productive, have 

 received from them a handsome income. Even the poorest and 

 knottiest specimens are worth at the present writing sixty or 

 seventy cents per bushel for making cider. 



An important question concerning the cultivation of this 

 fruit is. What kinds shall we cultivate ? 



We think it not desirable to multiply varieties greatly. A 

 few of the approved varieties of each season are far better than 

 a large number of kinds of second or third rate fruit. The 

 following kinds have been proved and found valuable for this 

 vicinity, viz : 



For summer — Early Harvest, Red Astrachan and Golden 

 Sweet. 



For fall — Porter and Gravenstein. 



For winter — Hubbardston Nonesuch, Rhode Island Greening, 

 Baldwin and Roxbury Russet. 



BERKSHIRE. 



From the Report of the Committee. 

 No fruit shows greater improvement under careful cultiva- 

 tion, nor pays better for such cultivation, than the pear. Pliny 

 speaks of the pears of his time as astringent and indigestible, 



