Uo 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Aprii, 



"When asked the cause of canker, he would re- 

 ply, "that it is occasioned by too deep planting 

 on unfavorable soils." Of the Quince apple, it 

 should not be planted on a strong, moist soil ; 

 of another variety, should be planted in a light, 

 sandy loam; of another, should be in the same, 

 for though it arrives at a greater size, both of 

 tree and fruit, in deep and rich loam, the fruit 

 greatly deteriorates. The Nonpareil requires 

 a light, rich loam, on a dry subsoil, for in heavy 

 soils it soon becomes cankered and falls to decay. 

 Of the Summer Golden Pippin, a light, loamy 

 soil, on a dry bottom suits it best. Of Har- 

 vey's Pippin, this sort is not nice as to soil gen- 

 erally. Of the famous Ribston Pippin, which 

 he calls the "Glory of York," he says, tree hardy, 

 healthy and vigorous, if planted in a loamy soil, 

 having a dry, hard subsoil; stiff, moist soil causes 

 canker, while on inferior soils, even in bleak 

 situations, the tree bears bountifully. 



As regards the above extracts, it may be said 

 that these eifects may not necessarily follow in 

 our country ; but if they may not occur to such 

 an extent on our soils, we cannot but think, from 

 •what we have observed here, that it will be found 

 to be true in a measure, at least, on our New 

 England soil. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 HOW TO TREAT A YOUNG OHCHABD. 



Mr. Editor : — How would you advise to treat 

 a young orchard of six acres, set at different 

 times, since 1848? The land a rather poor, grav- 

 elly, sandy soil ; a part abounding in stumps, 

 having been cleared four years since. Previous 

 to setting, holes seven feet in diameter, 18 to 24 

 inches deep, were dug and filled with top soil, 

 loam, and in some cases, mud. The part first 

 set has been kept in constant cultivation, mod- 

 erately manured and cropped with corn, pota- 

 toes, beans, roots, &c. Distance from barn one 

 half mile. The manure from the barn-yard can 

 be used to good advantage, (is in fact needed,) 

 on orcharding, mowing-fields and gardens nearer 

 home. 



Queries. — Would it be good policy to keep the 

 ground plowed and harrowed, without manuring 

 or cropping ? 



AVould it be a good plan to sow buckwheat or 

 some crop to turn in green ? 



Or would a slight manuring and cropping, 

 (planting nothing within several feet of the trees) 

 be on the whole better, economically considered, 

 than either of the above methods ? 



In general, the growth of the trees thus far 

 has been very good. Unquestionably, liberal 

 manuring would be a capital idea ; but where this 

 is not readily obtained, it is natural to seek other 

 means to gain the desired object. 



Lexington, Feb., 1859. Subscriber. 



it to depreciate. Our opinion is, that the trees 

 should be kept in vigorous condition in prefer- 

 ence to the mowing-fields near home. Let a por- 

 tion of these go to pasture, or rest, if you cannot 

 supply the whole with manure, and dress the or- 

 charding so that the trees will continue to grow 

 thriftily. They will not stand still — if they are 

 not growing, they will soon become sickly, bor- 

 ers and other vermin will attack them, and they 

 will soon acquire a habit of decay which you 

 cannot arrest. 



Plow the ground, manure it as well as you can, 

 sow clover seed and cut the crop for two years ; 

 then cut the rowen, let it lay and wilt a day or 

 two and plow that under, and you will fill the 

 soil with vegetable matter from the roots of the 

 clover. With a lighter manuring, the land may 

 then be moderately cropt for a year or two, and 

 then you may change to clover again. In this 

 way the crops will pay for labor and manure, and 

 you will get the growth of the trees free. 



PORTABLE IRON GRIST MILL. 



We know nothing, personally, of the merits of 

 this mill, but give the illustration and description 

 of a party interested, because we believe a good, 

 low-priced mill is an article much needed by 

 farmers. It is stated that "the grinding surfaces 

 are fiat like a burr millstone." 



Remarks. — As you have begun an orchard, 

 and already jexpended considerable money upon 

 it, it will be exceedingly baJ economy to suffer 



"The mills have been severely tested, and have 

 been driven 600 revolutions a minute, grinding 

 12 to 15 bushels of fine meal an hour, without 

 clogging, and thus demonstrating the fact that 

 the principle of the mill is correct. The grain 

 feeding directly upon the revolving under plate 

 — the upper plate being stationary — is ground or 

 cut as fine as is wished by regulating a screw at 

 the bottom of the spindle, while the centrifugal 

 force drives the meal to the outer edge and 

 throws it off. These mills are constructed whol- 

 ly of cast and wrought iron, are of great strength 



