ORCHARDS AND FRUITS. 127 



mium, were set out sixteen years ago, twenty feet apart. Great 

 care was taken in planting. The ground was deeply ploughed, 

 and has been kept under cultivation every year, cropped with 

 potatoes and corn, until the trees became too large to admit of 

 crops. Barnyard manure has been used with the crops at the 

 rate of three and one-half cords per acre. Of late he has used 

 a wheelbarrow of manure to a tree in the fall, and the same in 

 the spring, well spaded in. Mr, Shaw has washed his trees with 

 soft soap about the first of July, and at the same time has exam- 

 ined them for borers ; these, when found, he cuts out and 

 destroys with the knife and the wire, unless too deep to be 

 reached, in which case he drives a nail into the opening and 

 fills it closely with hard soap ; this, in his judgment, excludes 

 the air and kills the grub. Mr. Shaw feels confident that he 

 finds two varieties of borers — one that girdles and one that 

 penetrates. 



The way canker-worms are dealt with is as follows : A pan is 

 adjusted upon a long pole, in which brimstone and live coals are 

 placed ; the worms, coming within reach of this fumigation, are 

 destroyed. 



The Committee found the orchard of Mr. Shaw in a vigorous 

 and thrifty condition ; the fruit was abundant, large and fair ; 

 some of the trees, more particularly the Baldwins, were bending 

 under the load of fruit. The pruning was not severe, only the 

 interlacing branches being cut off. The trees occupied the 

 whole ground, so as to render it difficult, in some cases, to pass 

 around them. When ten years old these fifty trees yielded 

 seventy-five barrels of fruit, and since that time they have never 

 returned the owner a sum less than $150 annually, with the 

 exception of last year. The Committee were unanimous in 

 adjudging this a well-managed orchard, reflecting much credit 

 upon the skill and industry of the enterprising owner. 



The Committee, on invitation, next visited the orchard of 

 Henry Comey, Esq. This contains about thirty-five trees, on 

 one-third of an acre, standing twenty-two feet apart. Besides 

 the common varieties, there are trees of the Gillyflower and 

 Blue Pearmain, with beautiful and perfect fruit. This orchard 

 is surrounded by a close fence, and is used as a hen-yard ; by 

 the activity of the hens the grass is kept down, and the ground 



