METHODS OF FRUIT CULTURE AND FORESTRY. 105 



the borders of an old pasture, and he now reports them all alive 

 and as having made a good growth. 



Upon a piece of very stony land that had man}' 3-ears ago been 

 ploughed, but which was fast covering over with pitch pine trees 

 and blackberr}' vines, were planted last sprino- one hundred and 

 seventy-five small No. 2 peach trees, averaging not much over 

 a quarter of an inch in diameter at the base. The holes dug 

 for the trees were not over fifteen inches in diameter. At planting, 

 a single large handful of bone and potash was thrown across the 

 hole and upon the pile of soil. After the roots were covered with 

 about two inches of soil another handful was scattered in, and the 

 remainder of the soil filled in. After planting was over, about the 

 first of June, two more small handfuls of the same fertilizer were 

 sown upon the surface around each tree, and a line of turf about 

 one spade wide was turned over, so that the land was cultivated 

 for about three feet around the tree. The total cost of trees, 

 fertilizer, and labor was just six cents per tree. Only five or six 

 trees died, and the remainder have made an entirely satisfactory 

 growth. 



There being no mulching material near at hand, none was used ; 

 but, as the early part of the season was rather moist, they did not 

 suffer from drought. The mulch will be applied next summer, and 

 it is expected that in afewj'ears there will be as fine an orchard of trees 

 on that lot as can be found on any cultivated field of equal fertility. 



Discussion. 



Hon. James J. H. Gregory said that it had struck him as 

 very reasonable that waste land could be utilized for fruit growing. 

 The idea of Professor Maynard was a novel one, and the speaker 

 inclined to the belief that the practical result would be of great 

 pecuniary value to our State. A few years ago it was a question 

 what farmers here should do with their apples ; but since then the 

 great business of evaporation has grown up. The exportation of 

 apples has also grown to an immense business, and we can almost 

 claim that it belongs to us by our position in the best apple pro- 

 ducing belt ; which runs through central New England. Outside 

 of this belt there is no competition in growing apples for market, 

 and the speaker believed that the exportation and evaporation of 

 this fruit are destined to increase immensely. The Western apples 

 are larger than ours, but consumers complain that when evaporated 



