18 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



experience of the last few years of drought, we would say- 

 it cannot well be too dry. For quality of fruit, as well as 

 thrift of the trees, the roots must not be soaked with standing 

 water ; yet gravelly soils, where there is no hardpan, seem to 

 teach a different lesson. In seasons of drought, the fruit 

 ripens and falls prematurely, and some varieties of apple-trees 

 utterly die out. The winter of 1872-3, that proved so fatal 

 to evergreens in our cemeteries and lawns upon dry soils, 

 also proved the death of thousands of apple-trees, mostly 

 Baldwins, in the State of Connecticut, in orchards located on 

 well-drained, gravelly soils, generally in the valleys, while 

 upon the hills, with a heavier soil, they escaped unharmed. 

 Sudden changes of temperature may have something to do 

 with it, circulation may have started and been suddenly 

 checked, but we think the trees died of the winter drought. 

 The evergreens upon our hills and valleys in their native soils 

 were unscathed, while the same, transplanted, and even well 

 established, were smitten. The life was dried out by those 

 piercing winds, when not sustained by moisture at the roots. 



A sheltered hill for New England is better than a valley ; 

 we escape frosts. A reasonable circulation of air promotes 

 the health of the trees and fine color in the fruit, and prevents 

 that prematurity sometimes induced by a hot September. 

 Upon the hills, the east winds are more to be feared than 

 from any other direction, for with them come ice-storms, the 

 most fatal scourge that ever afflicts our orchards. Generally, 

 upon our strong soils, — not too heavy, — we have the best- 

 flavored fruit ; the exceptions being in regard to some varieties, 

 and to seasons wet and cold, when the warm, quick soils have 

 the advantage. 



Having the field selected, the preparation of the soil for 

 planting will have much to do with our future success. It 

 should be not only good of itself, but in good heart; that is, 

 not exhausted by excessive cropping, or by previous occu- 

 pancy by orcharding ; and should be well fertilized with barn- 

 yard manure, or some other fertilizer of as permanent a char- 

 acter as can be obtained. 



In planting an orchard last year, I applied to the field of 

 eight acres, eight tons of Peter Cooper's hair-manure, — the 

 refuse from the glue-factory, consisting of hair, a little lime, 



