SECRETARY'S REPORT. 177 



really necessary to have good grapes. Let every man ])laut 

 grapes, and give them one good pruning, and let the sunshine 

 fall among them, and let them have good clean earth, and I 

 venture to say you will have good grapes. 



The apple has been, with me, more of a specialty than the 

 grape, because I regard it of more importance than all other 

 fruits. I presume there are many gentlemen here who will say 

 iliey would rather dispense with every other fruit than the 

 apple. The apple is a fruit which wc can have the year round, 

 and it can be used in so many ways that I am sure we all feel 

 as though we cannot give it up. It is so scarce this year in 

 Massachusetts that we all feel tlie want of it ; we all realize that 

 we have lost something that is good. We all hope wc shall 

 have some next year. We all like apple dumplings, and Used 

 to like pan-dowdies, which, I believe, are getting out of date. 



Prof. Chadbourne. — They are coming in again. 



Mr. Clement. — I hope they are. We all used to know how 

 to prize them. There has been so much said in agricultural 

 papers on the apple, that what I may say may be considered 

 trite, but I will venture to offer a few words. 



If I was to plant an apple orchard, I would choose a side hill, 

 somewhat elevated, of a granite formation, and having some 

 rocks. I have found they do well in such soils ; on our rocky 

 side hills, — -which we sometimes call oak land, — with a gravelly 

 surface, and a hard pan two feet below. The trees in such 

 localities are more hardy. There should be still higher lands 

 on the north and west ; or forests would be better. Hills open 

 to the north and west are not so good, because the winds are 

 strongest from that direction. I have seen whole orchards lean- 

 ing to the east on this account. I dislike to see trees leaning ; 

 I wish to see them stand upright, and wdth the head well 

 balanced. 



The kind of apples I would cultivate would depend upon the 

 location, and the purpose for which I wished to raise them. If 

 in the vicinity of a good local market, and wished to go to 

 market during the season, with vegetables, I would plant a por- 

 tion of them for early apples which would command a good 

 price, — apples good for culinary purposes, and to sell in the 

 shops. If at a distance from a regular market, I would take 



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