PASTURE AND WASTE LANDS. 113 



tion. The experiment was made by Oliver P. Killam of Boxford, 

 and we give his statement in his own words : 



Statement of Mr. Killam. 



The piece of land I offer for premium is one side of a lot 

 containing ten or twelve acres. The part I cleared was covered 

 originally with whortleberries, sweet fern, and briars, inter- 

 spersed with small oaks, wild cherry, thorn bushes and birches. 

 In the spring of 1819, 1 commenced setting apple trees on one 

 side, one and one-half rods apart ; set over about one-half an 

 acre. The next spring I set out others ; and in 1851, 1 finished 

 setting over the piece I have cleared. 



My manner of setting the trees is as follows : First, I mowed 

 the bushes wherever I intended to set a tree. Then cutting 

 away the roots with an axe, I dug the holes eight feet in 

 diameter, and from one to one and a half feet deep. I usually 

 dug the holes the year before planting the trees. When I 

 set the trees, I pounded the sods, and picked out the roots, 

 replacing the soil in the hole, and taking care to set the tree 

 the same depth that it stood in the nursery. I then placed fine 

 soil round the roots, and replaced the contents of the hole. 

 The trees were manured and mulched ; and they grew well for 

 three or four years. 



At this time the trees began to show signs of blight, which 

 were not removed by digging about them ; and I consequently 

 determined to clear all the land between the trees. I com- 

 menced this in 1857, in the following manner : — 



First I mowed the bushes, dug up the roots, and burned 

 them. Then I dug out and cleared off the stones. I then 

 ploughed it, removing all the stones and roots exposed to view, 

 and harrowed it thoroughly. 



The expense of clearing the first half-acre was : — 

 For one man one and one-half days mowing bushes, . $1 50 

 Two men and four oxen one-half day pulling bushes 

 and roots, ........ 



Two men and one yoke of oxen one day clearing stones, 

 Two days ploughing, ....... 



Clearing stones after ploughing, harrowing, and burning 

 roots, 



$18 50 



15 



