56 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



A very few years undeceives tliem. Trees, like field-crops, 

 require and must have almost constant care. We have noticed 

 in the back towns of some of our neighboring States, they let 

 the trees grow where they happen to spring up; or if they 

 planted an orchard, they allowed the grass to grow among the 

 trees, the branches to die and remain until the winds blew them 

 out ; in short, the owner only gathering the fruit, leaving all the 

 rest to nature. This is a very bad way, and should not be tol- 

 erated. In this, and in all other matters, " what is worth doing 

 at all is worth doing well." In the selection of varieties care 

 should be used. If for home use alone, it should be the object 

 to plant so as to enjoy a constant succession of fruit from the 

 first of August to the next spring or summer. This will require 

 a larger number of varieties than one would care to grow for 

 market purposes. One great mistake that has been made by 

 those who raise fruit for the market is the planting of too many 

 sorts. This remark will apply with greater force to pear-grow- 

 ing. On nearly every farm or garden can be found land that 

 will raise apples, though not all equally well. If one's garden 

 is quite limited, and a few apples are desired, we advise the 

 planting of dwarf trees, which, with good care, will yield a fair 

 quantity of very superior fruit. If we were asked to name 

 twelve varieties for home use, we should give the Red Astrachan, 

 Early Sweet Bough and Williams, for summer ; the Gravenstein, 

 the Pumpkin Sweeting, for baking, and Porter for fall; the 

 Baldwin, Rhode Island Greening, Roxbury Russet, Golden Rus- 

 set, Hubbardston Nonsuch and Ladies' Sweeting, for winter. 

 For market purposes, the Williams, if a summer variety is de- 

 sired, — an apple which, if properly grown, is one of the most 

 profitable sorts raised, — Dutch Codlin, which always sells well 

 for cooking ; the Gravenstein, Hubbardston Nonsuch, Rhode 

 Island Greening, — a most excellent apple for culinary pur- 

 poses, — Baldwin, and for late keeping, the Roxbury Russet, 

 which, though not a great, yet is a regular bearer. 



Apple-trees should receive attention every year. They need 

 to be pruned ; to be protected against the ravages of insects — 

 canker-worms, caterpillars, and borers ; to be scraped when they 

 become rough barked, that no harbor may remain for injurious 

 insects, and also to improve their appearance ; to be manured, 

 if they need it, to keep them in good growing condition. 



