ORCHARDS. 45 



are peculiarly adapted to tlic harpooning of all larva) imbedded 

 in the bark of trees, such larvaj being their principal food. 

 Now the woodpecker, titmouse, blue bird and others which 

 could be named, make no depredations upon our fruit, but live 

 exclusively upon insects and their larva), and ought to be 

 encouraged to remain with us without fear for their lives ; and, 

 in order to do this, let those who have orchards save pieces of 

 dead limbs and punk wood, such as the birds named like to 

 breed in, and place them in trees where they will be accessible 

 to them, keep heartless boys and still more heartless men from 

 shooting them, or otherwise frightening them away, and we 

 should be surrounded by friends who would protect our 

 orchards from insect marauders. 



All fruits are more highly appreciated than formerly, and I 

 have no fears that care and attention bestowed upon the raising 

 of good apples will not be rewarded by a discriminating public. 



Asa Clement. 



middlesex south. 

 Statement of James W, Brown. 



The orchard I offer for premium contains eighty-two trees, 

 mostly Baldwins, with a few Hubbardston Nonesuch, Mother 

 Apple and Hunt Russets. The trees were set in April, 1858. 

 The holes were well prepared by digging over, pulverizing and 

 enriching the soil, for a space of about six feet across and fifteen 

 to eighteen inches deep. This done, the trees are sure to start 

 and grow well the first year. 



The soil of this orchard is naturally moist, with a yellow loam 

 and hard blue gravel subsoil. But little manure has been used 

 on the land since the trees were set. Two dressings of peat 

 mud have been thrown about them at different times in the past 

 five years. I prune in June, forming the top about six feet from 

 the ground, not too flat, as Baldwins naturally run up, while 

 Greenings spread out and hahg down. I have kept the orchard 

 free from the caterpillar and the army worm, and no canker 

 worms have yet appeared. I wash the trees in June with potash 

 water, of about one and one-half pounds of potash to two gal- 

 lons of water. The orchard is in a thriving, healthy condition. 

 I have gathered a few apples only, but there are only a few 

 apples on any trees in this neighborhood this year. 



