40 



delicious fruit known — the best thing that can be grown on a tree. It is also 

 abundant and hardy, not subject to blight, and can be relied iipon. The Belle 

 Lucrative is not in favor, b\it is delicious when ripe. The Flemish Beauty is an 

 excellent pear, the Sheldon is large, russet, and beautiful, and the iDuchess is a 

 good dwarf, which, however, needs very high culture. The Louise bou de Jersey 

 is delicious when grown on dwarf trees. The BeuiTC d' Anjoii must have two 

 months to ripen. The Lawrence is a good winter pear that will bear putting in 

 the cellar. Pears should be kept in a cool place until wanted for eating, and then 

 quickly ripened in a warm place. In this way it is possible to have as good fruit 

 in December and January as in August and September. The pear does not bear 

 pruning very much. With both pears and apples the rule should be to prune 

 moderately as the tree grows, and never excessively at any one time. Severe pru- 

 ning gives water shoots, and brings on blight. The best time to jiidge what 

 pruning is necessary is when the fruit is gathered, but the pruning itself should 

 1)6 done from January onwards in mild weather. All branches that spring fi'om 

 the roof should be kept cut off. They are thieves of the worst sort. 



Peaches, plums and grapes can all be successfully raised in Berkshire, at least 

 in sufficient quantities for home use, and as for strawberries and other small fruits, 

 Berkshire farmers ought to be a Httle ashamed to let cars of fruit from New Jer- 

 sey pass up the vaUey by their own doors. Strawberries of the very finest qual 

 ity known can be raised so cheaply and successfully in Western Massachusetts 

 that if the farmers of this section were to improve their opportunities in this re- 

 spect, the New Jersey growers positively could not afford to send their products 

 liere in competition. The best selection of trees can usually be found in the nur- 

 series in the fall, but very early in the sjjring is a better time to set them out. 

 Alwaj's choose young and stocky trees with spreading tops and an abundance of 

 fibrous and well-balanced roots. Never set trees less than two rods apart. Dig 

 the holes deeper at the outside than in the middle, leaving a little cone of eai'th 

 in the center to support the tree. Have the earth so thoroughly enriched that 

 manure in the hole will be unnecessary. Never put anything but clean earth 

 about the roots. Don't plant in the rain, nor pour water about the roots. It hard- 

 ens the earth more than is desirable. A little mound of small stones is the best 

 mulch. A mound of earth six inches high late in the fall will be an almost sure 

 remedy against mice. Bits of tin are good also. Woodchucks do more damage than 

 mice generally. To prevent this, use whale oil soap, coal ashes and cow manure 

 mixed, and plastered on with a broom. Plowing orchards is poor policy, but 

 they may be pastured to advantage. Cattle thrive on the fruit within reach and 

 they keep the ground in good condition. 



After the discussion and remarks which followed Mr. Gold's address, the audience 

 adjourned to the Town Hall, and partook of a bountiful collation which had been 

 g-enerously provided by the citizens of Sheffield, and which was served to the g-uests by 

 the farmers wives and their fair daufirhters. After all had l)een abundantlj' supplied • 

 the assemblaf^e returned to the church, and were addressed by Rev. A. X. Benedict, of 

 Soiithtield. Most of his suKg'estions were afterward presented to the Society in his ad- 

 dress at the Fair, and will be found in the first pag-es of this book. Mr. Benedict's 

 address was followed by remarks from Alexander Hyde, of Lee, on Compost Heaps. 



Abstract of Remarks by Alexander Hyde, on Compost Heaps: 



Mr. Hyde gave an account of his experience with composts, especially 

 those in which muck is an important constituent. There is a school of agri- 

 culturists, he said, that may be called homeopathic. They teach that it is best 



