OIlCnAKDS. 



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loam. The land was pasture, plowed in the spring of 

 1851, and planted with corn, with one shovelful of com- 

 post manure to the hill. In 1852 planted with corn, 

 and eight hills potatoes around each tree, with stable 

 manure under the potatoes ; corn manured same as last 

 year. In 1853 and 1854, planted and manured same 

 as in 1852; in 1855 sowed with wheat and clover; in 



1856 cut a crop clover the last of June, and plowed in 

 a crop clover in September. During the last two years 

 I have kept the grass and weeds clear from the trees. 

 I think the clover had a good effect on the trees, but 

 the year it was in wheat my trees made the least 

 growth of any, after the first year of transplanting. In 



1857 I planted with corn, manured with guano and 

 phosphate of lime, and eight hills of potatoes under each 

 tree, manured with stable manure. In 1858 planted 

 same as last year, except the corn was manured with one 

 shovelful of compost manure to the hill. I have washed 

 my trees with lye made from wood ashes, strong enough 

 to hardly bare an egg, with some soap stirred in. I think 

 this as good a wash as I can apply to my trees. I have 

 had considerable trouble with the apple borer; I find 

 that my only remedy is to follow him with the knife ; 

 I examine every tree two or three times each season. I 

 do not think washing the trees will destroy the borers 

 after they have got under the bark. I have tried bank- 

 ing up my trees two winters to prevent the mice eating 

 the bark, but I have come to the conclusion that it is a 

 bad practice; I think I have lost seven or eight good 

 trees in consequence of the dirt freezing and thawing, 

 so as to kill the bark entirely round the trees some four 

 or five inches wide, while I have lost but one tree in six 



years by the mice. 



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