90 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



to the trees. Of late years this has been neglected ; hence the 

 increase of the borer. 



We have been troubled with canker-worms since 1860. 

 More than half our trees were entirely ruined by them within 

 five or six years of their first appearance, and our apple crop 

 reduced to merely nothing, — from eight hundred barrels a 

 year before their appearance, to less than a single barrel of 

 all kinds six or seven years afterwards, — and our trees 

 reduced from four thousand in 1860 to eight hundred at the 

 present time ; although they were planted much too thickly 

 at the commencement. After trying various remedies, we 

 have decided that printers' ink, applied fall and spring, is 

 the cheapest and most effectual. Our trees this year produced 

 over nine hundred barrels of good merchantable apples. The 

 tent caterpillar is at all times very troublesome, but can easily 

 be taken off", when small, with the hand or a stiff", conical brush. 

 No other insects to any extent trouble our apple-trees. The 

 field-mice did considerable damage to our young trees during 

 one or two winters, but care should be taken not to allow 

 grass or other rubbish to accumulate around the trees, and 

 thus afford them a shelter. 



We try to prune our trees a little every winter ; should 

 prefer the mild weather during February and March. For 

 young orchard or nursery trees, would trim in June. The 

 wormy fruit that drops is generally disposed of by the sheep 

 and other animals. 



For the ten most profitable apples for this county, I would 

 name the following (the most valuable first) : Baldwin, Hub- 

 bardston Nonsuch, Roxbury Russet (for heavy land), Hunt 

 Russet, King of Tompkins County, Rhode Island Greening, 

 Red Astrachan, Gravenstein, Porter, Danvers Winter Sweet. 



For five best varieties for table use, I would suggest Will- 

 iams Favorite, Large Yellow Bough, Gravenstein, Hunt 

 Russet and King of Tompkins County. They are all good 

 bearers. There are probably many other excellent varieties 

 that would do well in this county, but these are old and tried, 

 and no one would go very far astray in planting them. Some 

 of these will do well on a light soil with very little cultivation, 

 while others require a rich soil and very high cultivation. 



