NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



159 



earth should be stirred nine inches deep, instead of 

 six, and the application of manure should be in 

 the same proportion ; and a little more elbow grease 

 should be applied to the pulverization of the sur- 

 face* soil, and occasionally a subsoil plow should be 

 passed through the next stratum of nine inches of 

 earth below the surface, who can tell what would 

 be the result of such operations 1 Instead of two 

 tons to the acre, we have well authenticated ac- 

 counts of more than four tons to the acre having 

 been thus produced. Mr. Clapp, of Greenfield, 

 recently stated that the very last season, he raised 

 four-and-twenty tons of fodder, from six acres — on 

 land not extraordinary for its fertility. "What can 

 be done by Mr. Clapp, can equally well be done 

 by others, by the application of the same skill and 

 industry. 



The fact is, our farmers spread their butter up 

 on their bread too thin — if they would concentrate 

 their energies upon a few acres, instead of many, 

 they would find the results of their labors more en- 

 couraging. It would not be difficult to point out 

 those, who by well applied energies, on half a doz- 

 en acres, secure a better living, and better income, 

 than many others who possess ten times the quan- 

 tity of land. When we look at the many acres of 

 unproductive pasture lands that meet the view, 

 wherever you ride, it is impossible to suppress the 

 reflection, that there still remains much room for 

 improvement. Perhaps, more on the pasture lands 

 connected with our farms, than any other. .Wheth- 

 er this shall be done by stirring the soil, or by top- 

 dressing with plaster, or some other stimulant to 

 vegetable growth, is a fair subject for inquiry. 



For the New England Farmer. 



PRUNING AND GRAFTING OLD APPLE 

 TRESS. 



BY N. P. MORRISON. 



Mr. Editor: — If I were as well qualified for 

 handling the pen, as I am of many implements of 

 farming, I would try to contribute through the 

 medium of the agricultural journals many induce- 

 ments calculated to raise the standard of farming 

 to one of the most profitable and delightful avoca- 

 tions in life. I have had considerable experience 

 in pruning and grafting. The success which has 

 attended my labors, and the profits derived, have 

 drawn my attention more particularly to this 

 branch of husbandry, which I think has been too 

 much neglected by farmers in general. I have 

 found by observation, while travelling in the coun- 

 try, that there are thousands of worthless apple 

 trees, impoverishing the land without giving the 

 owner a fair compensation. Farmers and others 

 ought not to be so negligent of their own interest, 

 as to disregard every inducement which may be 

 found in reading agricultural journals, and other- 

 wise calculated to stimulate them to action, pro- 

 gress and wealth. 



As regards pruning and grafting, I have been 

 my own adviser, although I have had friends who 

 are more experienced fruit growers than myself, 



frequently caution me in regard to my method of 

 pruning, and they have confidently asserted that 

 my course of treatment would prove a serious in- 

 jury to the trees. Now I would say to farmers, 

 and all who are concerned in fruit growing, be 

 cautious whom you employ to execute the labor 

 which is necessary to make your trees admirable 

 for their beauty, and a lasting benefit in the pro- 

 duction of fruit. I took a journey last June into 

 New Hampshire, and as I went with my own car- 

 riage, it gave me a good opportunity of examining 

 the progress which farmers were making in im- 

 proving the soil and fruit trees. In regard to the 

 latter, I must say that according to my judgment 

 and experience, many are most wilfully, or igno- 

 rantly imposed upon. 



In Lowell, I had the opportunity of examining 

 the operations of grafting, and I came to the con- 

 clusion that the operator shook the trees and 

 caught the birds, while his employer's anticipa- 

 tions would not be realized. The grafting, I think, 

 was done by the job, so much per scion, and the 

 bill for two small trees amounted to almost five 

 dollars, when all the labor which was necessai-y in 

 doing the work could have been done for less than 

 one half that sum. The number of scions set was 

 too many. One half the number would have been 

 all that were needed to form a good tree. I noticed 

 there were several small branches within a few inch- 

 es of each other ; from six to ten scions were set 

 where there should have been but two, by cutting 

 the limb below where the branches separated. An- 

 other error in grafting is, in leaving limbs too near 

 the scions when set, so as to impede their growth ; 

 this should always be avoided. Other trees I have 

 noticed frequently while travelling which had a few 

 marks where grafting had been attempted by hav- 

 ing six or eight scions set in the low limbs where 

 twenty or thirty were necessary to 1 ave formed a 

 good tree. I saw a man grafting for a friend of 

 mine, and as he was an experienced workman, I 

 had the curiosity to stop and examine the trees, and 

 ask a few questions in regard to grafting, hoping to 

 gain some information in so doing. His scions 

 were set in a few of the middle branches, and ac- 

 cording to the appearance by grafting so few stems, 

 he did not intend to injure the trees but very little, 

 for the scions would eventually be left, in the few 

 instances above named, to take their own course, 

 consequently they would be overrun with branches 

 and left to wither and die. I inquired why he did 

 not set more scions in a tree ? His reply was, the 

 man who employs me wants to make all the cider 

 he can. I suppose he meant until the scions came 

 to maturity. This we see is economy outdone. 



I have found some trees which had twice the 

 number of scions set requisite to form a good top, 

 while others fell short in the same proportion. 

 Now it will appear from the many observations 

 I have made, that farmers and many others who 

 have land and trees to improve, feel conscious that 

 something ought to be done in renovating and im- 

 proving their fruit trees in order to give them a 

 profit which is realized by thousands who have 

 their work thoroughly done. Therefore, give the 

 farmer knowledge, perseverance, (and I must say) 

 temperance, these all combined, will give him the 

 satisfaction of seeing his labors crowned with abun- 

 dant success. 



I have about eight acres of orcharding, and 

 have so managed in pruning and grafting as to 



