FARMS. 21 



Slatement of Austin J. Roberts. 



In making my last annual statement, I wanted merely to 

 remark that my attention has mainly been devoted to the exten- 

 sion of my orchards and the care of them, which has prevc^nted 

 me from raising large field crops. 



My apple orchards have yielded their second large crop of 

 fruit. The trees are in a most thrifty condition, and had not 

 the season been very unpropitious, the yield would have been 

 from 300 to 500 barrels. The " Sops of Wine " sold as high 

 as $10 per barrel, and the first class Baldwins at $7. 



The peach orchards have been extended by farther setting 

 out 500 trees of " Hale's Early," covering five acres of laud. 

 The whole number of trees is now 1,800, occupying about 12 

 acres of ground. 



Those trees first planted are now beginning to bear, and are 

 growing rapidly. The varieties planted are confined to two or 

 three sorts, and are the best market and most reliable kinds. 



Pear Orchards. — The trees were cut down and grafted two 

 years since, to the Bartletts, and hence the small yield of fruit. 



Cranberries. — The acre set out with vines will be eventually 

 covered. The vines are gradually extending, though the 

 growth has been slow the past summer. The yield from the 

 natural bogs has been good for the extent of land occupied. 



Grape Vines. — From the success I have had on a small scale 

 with a number of vines, my attention is now directed to setting 

 out a vineyard of Concord vines. The soil and climate in the 

 vicinity of our large ponds, or more properly lakes, seem to be 

 as well adapted to their culture as the Kelley Island, or the 

 lake region of New York, where, within a few years, 5,000 

 acres have been set out in vineyards, yielding a profit of from 

 $300 to $500 to the acre. 



Accmmt of Crops, Expenses, Sfc., on Farm of A. J. Roberts. 



Income : 



Apples, 100 barrels, chiefly Baldwins, . . . $600 00 



Cider, 6 barrels, home manufacture, . . . 46 00 



Vinegar, 7 barrels, home manufacture, . . . 54 00 



Cranberries, 8^ barrels, 90 00 



Peaches, 51 00 



