ORCHARDS. 123 



the best of tlio loam, the sods serving to keep the soil loose 

 and moist about the roots. The trees made some growth tlie 

 first year, and I have not lost a tree, although inexperienced in 

 the business of setting out trees ; I felt that my first attempt 

 was quite successful, that by improving the spare moments, (as 

 I have,) I might raise (vvitii the blessings of God to aid me,) a 

 nice little orchard. The first year I put about them a compost 

 of chip-dirt, leached ashes, and some stable manure, about one- 

 half of a wheelbarrow load to each, and stirred the soil two or 

 three times during the season. The next year I set out the 

 remainder and ploughed the ground, spreading a fair coat 

 of stable manure upon the furrows, and planted it with potatoes 

 and corn, principally potatoes. I have used leaves and leaf 

 mould from the woods two or three times, and think it good, 

 as it keeps the soil light and in good condition, but I have not 

 been able to discover any great effect to the trees from its use, 

 as I have not used it long enough to test it ; but I don't see 

 why it does not contain the natural elements of the tree, and 

 may be well adapted to nourish and keep them thriving natu- 

 rally. The trees have been washed with soft soap and water, 

 about as thick as cream, or nearly as thick, by mixing them 

 together, once or twice each year, and I think with good effect. 

 I tliink the soap-suds that run down about the trunks of the 

 tree have a tendency to keep away the moth of the apple tree 

 borer. I have experimented iu cutting off limbs at differ- 

 ent times of the year, and I like June the best. At other 

 times when cut, the wound does not heal so readily as 

 when cut in June, but the bark turns black, and the wound is 

 a long time healing, and in some cases has not healed yet. 

 When in June, I have noticed that the bark keeps bright, and 

 the wound soon heals. The borer has troubled me some, but I 

 look after him twice each year with knife and wire, and have 

 thus far been able to keep a little ahead of him, with one or 

 two exceptions, when he has nearly destroyed two trees, yet 

 they may recover in time. My aim has not been to make great 

 growth of wood, but to keep trees in a good thriving condition, 

 and let the wood harden, that they may withstand the severe 

 winter weather which this climate is subject to. I have noticed 

 that uncultivated trees bear the most regularly, but of course 

 not as good fruit as highly cultivated ones. I have cultivated 



