OKCHARDS. 



47 



and the wound soon heals. The borer has troubled me 

 seme, but I look after him twice each year with knife 

 and wire, and have thus far been able to keep a little 

 ahead of him, with one or two exceptions, when he has 

 nearly destroyed two trees, yet they may recover in 

 time. My aim has not been to make great growth of 

 wood, but to keep them in a good thriving condition, 

 and let the wood harden, that they may withstand the 

 severe winter weather which this climate is subject to. 

 I have noticed that uncultivated trees bear the most 

 regular, but of coarse not as good fruit, as highly culti- 

 vated ones. I have cultivated the ground with roots 

 and tomatoes, spreading cow, horse and hog manure 

 upon the surface. I fork up the soil in the spring and 

 fall about the trees, and hoe about them the same as 

 other growing crops, and let nature do the rest. I 

 might spend more time with them if I had it to spare, 

 but by improving the little spare moments, I have done 

 as well as I could, and here is the result. Almost 

 every young man in the country may do the same if he 

 will but improve his leisure moments instead of idling 

 them away as many do. He may raise one, and as 

 many more as he can, and thus confer great blessings 

 upon those to come after him. Who can tell the bles- 

 sings of even one single apple tree thus raised? And 

 would it not be well to encourage ever}^ young man to 

 do something of the kind, and thus save himself from 

 many temptations, and perhaps much misery ? Let him 

 set out one little tree, and see what pleasure will be 

 afforded in its cultivation. I for one take much in the 

 cultivation of mine, and wish others may do the same^ 

 and as much better as they can. 



