ON FRUIT TREES, 



89 



are Baldwins, from tlie nursery of Allen W. Dodge, in Hamil- 

 ton, grown on light soil, and not forced by high cnlture. When 

 transplanted, they were two years old from the bud, and con- 

 sequently are noAV five years from the bud. A part of them 

 were set in land that had been cultivated two years, and a part 

 on land broken up that fall. This last named land has been 

 kept under cultivation to the present time, and the trees upon 

 it have made a much better growth than those upon the other 

 land, which was laid down to grass the following spring, al- 

 though it was dug round the trees the two seasons after. All 

 of the land was this year ploughed and planted, expressly for 

 the benefit of the trees, so well convinced am I that in this 

 way the thrift of trees is best promoted. 



The trees were set out with the utmost care, occupying two 

 men for two days, the holes having been dug previously. About 

 three pecks of compost manure were placed round the trees af- 

 ter being set, and the same quantity has been applied each fall 

 since. Early in the spring this manure has been dug in, and 

 about a pint of air slacked lime strewed over the surface of the 

 ground near the tree. In June I have applied about a quart of 

 ashes near the trunk of the trees, to prevent the depredations 

 of the borer, which I think has been efiectual. I have also, 

 early in June of each year, washed the trees with a composi- 

 tion of about equal parts of lime, clay and cow manure, well 

 worked together, the effect of which is to keep the trees smooth 

 and free from moss and insects. This annual washing I have 

 practised for some years, and shall continue to practise, as long 

 as I own a tree — its beneficial effects being to me so apparent. 



Wenham, Oct. 7, 1S50. 



LEWIS ALLEN'S STATEMENT. 

 My orchard of young apple trees contains two hundred Bald- 

 wins, one hundred and sixty of them in one enclosure, the re- 

 mainder in a lot adjoining, with other varieties. One hundred 

 of these trees were set in the spring of 1848, the other hundred 

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