128 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



kept open and mellow, and doubtless many grubs and insects 

 injurious to the fruit are destroyed. 



Mr. Oomey has found great benefit from the moderate use of 

 coal ashes as a top-dressing ; finding the fruit of a certain tree 

 larger and fairer than on other trees of the same variety, he 

 attributed it to the coal ashes that happened to be deposited 

 there. Following the hint, he spread these ashes thinly under 

 other trees, and obtained fruit equally large and fair. From 

 the known ingredients of these ashes we think the action in 

 this case must have been chiefly mechanical. But such exper- 

 iments are worth the trial. 



The trees of Mr. Comey have been well cared for. The fruit 

 is large, smooth and highly colored, and the product doubtless 

 surpasses that of the same number of trees in the orchard of 

 Mr. Shaw. The rules of the society, at the time of the visit, 

 did not allow the Committee to award a premium to an orchard 

 of less than fifty trees. Since that time the rule has been mod- 

 ified so as to. embrace orchards of twenty-five trees ; this will 

 bring into competition a large number of orchards in the county 

 which we hope may be entered for premium the coming year. 



The Committee also visited the orchards of Messrs. A. R. 

 Aldrich and C. W. Lane. These both range along with that of 

 Mr. Comey. They have the same number of trees and the same 

 conditions of soil and culture, and nearly the same varieties of 

 fruit and the same fulness and excellency of products. In each 

 of these orchards was found the very excellent arrangement of 

 making the hens the cultivators of the soil and the destroyers of 

 insects. The smooth and perfect fruit on all these trees of 

 every variety bore testimony to the benefit of the humble 

 cultivators. 



Among the trees of L. Pond, Esq., the Committee saw in 

 perfection Hunt's Russet, which is said to be a better bearer 

 than the Roxbury Russet. It is very fair and handsome, will 

 keep into April, and commands a great price in market. This 

 variety is in high repute in Danvers and vicinity, and is being 

 largely cultivated. 



The cold grapery of George E. Leonard, Esq., and his apple 

 orchard next received the attention of the Committee. The 

 culture of the grape by Mr. Leonard seems to be a perfect suc- 

 cess. He succeeds in obtaining an abundant crop and in ripen- 



