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familiar with the orchard from that day to the present, and 

 nearly every year have assisted in gathering the fruit. Some 

 of the trees died, as he supposed from the excessive richness 

 of the ground ; others have partially died, and new branches 

 have grown out tliat are now in bearing; others have grown 

 broad and tall like forest trees. As I look back upon this 

 orchard after a long lapse of time, I have come to the conclu- 

 sion tliafc as a rule the apples have been larger, but prone to 

 decay. It has been quite common for them to rot on the trees, 

 so that they would go for cider or waste on the ground, and 

 those that were carried into the cellar must soon be disposed 

 of; those on the richest ground have rotted the most. About 

 forty years ago we were desirous of increasing our orchards. 

 Knowing that apple trees growing by an old stone wall where 

 the land is uncultivated, grow much better than those in the 

 open field, we concluded to try the experiment in an old hill 

 pasture. We purchased from old nurseries trees that had not 

 been grafted, but were of sufficient size to be grafted six or 

 eight feet from the ground, cut off the tops and brought home 

 only the body of the trees and the roots. They were set out 

 near the stone walls, stones piled around them to protect them 

 from the cattle, and grafted mostly with baldwin scions. Most 

 of the trees and scions lived and did well. We set out more 

 than a hundred trees; they have had no cultivation or manure 

 and but little pruning. When the caterpillars appeared they 

 were destroyed, and fortunately the canker-worm did not find 

 them until the last two or three years. They are now nearly 

 all living and in good bearing state. The apples they have 

 produced have been of better keeping quality than those pro- 

 duced in our fields, and we think as a rule, they have been 

 quite as productive, although the apples have not been quite as 

 large. Two other similar cases with similar results have come 

 to our knowledge, corroborating the opinion that rocky, uncul- 

 tivated soil, yields better apples for keeping and flavor, but 

 usually not so lai'ge as richer land; such apples are of more 

 value for foreign markets. 



