94 



STATEMENTS IN REGARD TO APPLE ORCHARDS 



AND RENOVATED APPLE TREES, OFFERED FOR PRE- 

 MIUMS 1855. 



The following statements have relation to the report of the 

 Committee on Fruit Trees. See page 51. 



FoxBORO', Nov. 28, 1855. 

 To the Committee on Fruit Trees : 



Gentlemen — I take this opportunity to inform you about my 

 orchard. The trees were set out in the spring of 1851 ; the dis- 

 tance from each other is about 25 feet ; the number of trees is 

 121. About one half are Baldwins, 15 Seaver Sweetings, 15 

 Greenings ; the remainder are Russets, Porters, Hubbardston 

 Nonesuch, Northern Skies, Gilliflowers, &c., a few of each sort. 



As to the management, I dug the holes 1| feet deep and from 

 3 to 4 feet broad, and I then mixed about one bushel of fine ma- 

 nure with two bushels of the top of the soil ; then took a coarse 

 wire sieve and sifted some of the manure in the hole — then placed 

 the tree, taking great care to spread the roots in every direction ; 

 then sifted on the rest of the manure and dirt — then filled the 

 hole with a shovel. I have planted corn amongst the trees every 

 year since, and have not failed having a good crop, say from 30 

 to 40 bushels per acre. The spring after they were set out, I 

 washed them with potash water ; since that I have done nothing 

 to them but throw a shovelful of manure to a tree when I manur- 

 ed my corn in the hill at planting, and to keep them well hoed. 



Yours, &c. SILAS SMITH. 



To the Committee on Fruit Trees : 



Gentlemen — The apple orchard which I ofier for premium 

 contains 123 trees ; 91 were set out in 1851 and 1852, except a 

 few, that have died and did not grow well, I have dug up, and 

 set others in their places. I set the trees 30 feet apart, and set 

 a row of peach trees between them each way. I have raised corn 

 and potatoes every year since the trees were set out. I manured 

 in the hill, putting two shovelsful to each tree when planting. 

 The trees are Baldwins, Greenings, Hubbardston Nonesuch, and 

 Porters. HENRY GOULDING. 



Dover, Sejjtember 25, 1855. 



