THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



or bran. Being anxious to ascertain the quantity, 

 I measured a fievv square (eet of tiie stoutest. I 

 <bund I iiad 5 lbs. of green Ibdder per square loot ; 

 this may not seem credible, and it is probably 

 less than what would grow in rich lands at the 

 west ; if, however, we consider there are 43 560 

 square leet in an acre, we shall obtain 217,800 

 lbs., equal to 108| tons of green fodder! 



I cut the first crop the early part of July, and 

 ploughed and sowed (he same land again, and took 

 a second crop two thirds as large, and even tried 

 a third on the same land, but it did not reach over 

 ten inches before the frost seized it. Persons who 

 have only a small patch of ground may try this 

 experiment to advantage and fill their barns with 

 fodder. 



In curing stalks, it is recommended to place the 

 small end upon the ground, with the buts upward, 

 to guard against the absorption of moisture from 

 the wet ground. Whoever will try the experi- 

 ment of cutting flowers, and putting some on damp 

 flannel, or into water, and hanging up others in the 

 sun, will seethe advantage of curing fodder in 

 the way I have mentioned. Should any fear the 

 stalks would not stand upon the small end, a few 

 rows could be left to support the remainder. — 

 Hon. H. L. Ellsworth. 



REPORT ON ORCHARDS. 



From tlie New England Farmer. 



The rommittee appointed by the trustees of the 

 Society for the promotion of Agriculture in Mas- 

 sachusetts, consisting of Messrs. Welles, Prescoit, 

 Phinney, Codman and Quincy, having by their 

 chairman examined the orchard of Capt. George 

 Randall, report — 



That it appears said orchard was set out in 

 April, 1837. Its extent was about 3| acres. The 

 soil was good, but rather light, and was in a good 

 state of preparation for the trees. The ground has 

 been since annually cultivated for a crop ; the be- 

 nefit of which, both in the thrift and production of 

 an orchard, seems generally agreed in. The 

 number of trees was 212 : their distance apart, 25 

 feet. There was a doubt with the committee 

 whether the distance might not have been advan- 

 tageously enlarged even to 35 or 40 feet. In four 

 years they had acquired, several of them, near the 

 roots, about thirteen inches in circumference, and 

 at three feet above the ground, eleven inches by 

 measurement. Many of the trees had extended 

 in the growth of the limbs during the past season, 

 from 15 to nearly 30 inches. 



Mr, Randall's communication contains an ac- 

 count of a wash of oil soap, &c., which has been 

 used by him on the trees in this orchard, since they 

 were set out. If this application should operate to 

 prevent the ravages of the borer, it will be of most 

 important utility, as this depredator, with the canker 

 worm, seems to threaten the very existence of our 

 orchards. All which is well and fully set forth in 

 the communication above alluded to, whi''h your 

 committee recommend should be forthwith pub- 

 lished. And the committee further recommend 

 that the premium of fifty dollars be awarded and 

 paid to Capt. George Randall, for the best 

 orchard. 



All which is respectfully submitted by order of 

 the committee, John "Wells, Chairman. 



New Bedford, \lth ^ug., 1841. 

 To Bevj. Guild, esq., Boston:— sir — I have a 

 young apple orchard in the town of Rochester, 

 Plymouth county, Mass., and ten miles from this 

 place, which I wish to offer for a prenaium ; and 

 do, by this letter, offer, or apply for the premium, 

 for the best orchard in the commonwealth, that 

 has been planted out four years from the nursery. 

 Respectfully, your ob't. ser't. 



George Randall. 



Tfie following comprises Mr. Randall's useful 

 observations : 



Description. 



The extent of the orchard, 3^ acres; the 

 number of trees, 212 ; their distance apart, 25 

 leet ; the names of the apples or varieties, 57 — as 

 follows: MelaCarla; Flushing Spitzenberg; lady; 

 doctor; English russet ; Knight's pippin ; crow's 

 egg : Pumwater sweeting ; red and green sum- 

 mer pearmain ; pear apple ; Amory ; red doctor ; 

 Ruggles' sweeting ; French nonpareil ; Peck's 

 pleasant ; Gravenslein ; black gellyflowers ; Daw- 

 son ; Dyre ; Coney ; Prince's Harriet ; summer 

 russet ; orange sweeting ; R. I. greening ; su- 

 perior sweeting (from the garden of the Hon. Jas. 

 D' Wolfe, Bristol, R. I.) ; iEsopus Spitzenberg ; 

 blue pearmain ; Mawney sweeting ; Newton 

 Spitzenberg; no core ; yellow bellflower; Tewks- 

 bury winter blush ; Vi^urner, (from Canaan, N. 

 Y.); summer greening; codling; Porter; Roxbury 

 rossett ; marigold ; Hubbardston's nonsuch ; Coop- 

 er ; seek-no farther; summer sour; Ben; John 

 goodwin ; green Newton pippin ; Pennock red 

 winter ; summer rose ; Catlin ; Baldwin ; fall 

 sarine ; bellflower ; winter sweeting ; honey 

 greening ; lily pippin ; early sweet bough ; none- 

 such. 



Treatment. 



The ground has been planted to roots, every 

 year since, and including 1837, viz. : to potatoes, 

 carrots, ruta baga, sugar beets and mangel 

 vvurtzel. 



The manures used have been common stable; 

 compost of stable, loam and swamp mud; lime 

 compost, spent ashes, plaster, and a small quantity 

 of saltpetre. 



The trunks and lower limbs of the trees have 

 been well washed with oil eoap, sand and water, 

 every spring and fall since they were planted out ; 

 after which a coat of oil soap has been put on with 

 a painter's brush. The oil soap is made by refin- 

 ing and bleaching sperm oil, and is composed of 

 from 33J to 35 per cent, potash, and the balance 

 spf^rm oil and impurities from the oil. 



The first pruning was done the first of May last 

 past ; at which time every tree had the earth re- 

 moved from around it, to examine for borers, not 

 one tree was found to contain a borer, or any indi- 

 cation of one. 



The soil, a sandy gravelly loam, and naturally 

 light. 



Observations. 



I have noticed that shallow planting with all 

 trees succeeds much the best, and can, I think, be 

 accounted lor philosophically. The roots are luxu- 

 riating in a good soil, and are more immediately 

 under solar influence. 



My mode of planting is as follows : — The muti- 

 lated roots of each tree are carefully cut off smooth ; 



