69 



and that was so this year, notwithstanding the large crop of 

 apples of all kinds. 



To make up the ten best varieties, we would add the fol- 

 lowing to those above named : Williams, R. I. Greenings, 

 Hunt Russet, Roxbury Russet, and Danvers Sweet. 



The Williams Apple is l)ut little known in this county, but 

 ill the vicinity of Boston they are grown in considerable quan- 

 tities, and command high prices. In 1875 they were sold for 

 $5 per bushel. I intend to change my Nortliern Spy trees 

 and some others to the Williams. What little dressing we 

 . use is barnyard manure. The abovenamed varieties are all 

 great bearers. 



STATEMENT OF JAMES FLINT, OF MIDDLETON. 



I have about five hundred apple-trees ; about one hundred 

 are old ones, that were on the place when I took it ; the rest 

 I have set myself. I have over forty different kinds, which are 

 more kinds than I wish I had. I do not think it a good plan 

 to have so many varieties. I have in my orchard loam and 

 gravelly subsoil, enriched with barnyard manure in the spring 

 of the year. I commenced by setting some over a hundred, 

 about thirty-two years ago, and have set some occasionally 

 since, until within ten or fifteen years. I ploughed the land 

 deep before setting, by going twice in the same furrow, and 

 digging the holes large ; and keeping the ground cultivated, 

 and washing occasionally, when small, with potash water. 



I am troubled some with the borer, not with the canker 

 worm or caterpillar, or much with any other worm. The 

 winters have hurt my trees more than anything else. Take 

 the borer in season with a knife and wire, and you can soon 

 fix him. I trim my trees late in the fall or early winter, cut- 

 tins: off the dead wood and limbs that cross each other. I 

 have found by sad experience that it is injurious to trim after 

 the sap begins to flow. The last of June may be as good a 



