ephraim Graham's statement. 15 



Your committee visited both orchards and found they had 

 been cultivated with great care. The competitors gave us a 

 verbal account of their management of their trees, and it 

 was apparent that orchards, in order to have well developed 

 trees and fruit, require cultivation as well as cereals. 



Each competitor also gave us an elaborately detailed 

 statement in writing (which is herewith transmitted), respect- 

 ing their manner of setting their trees and their cultivation, 

 which statement renders it unnecessary for us to make 

 further comment. 



We have awarded the society's first premium to Ephraim 

 Graham, Esq., and the second premium to Charles Mason, 

 Esq. All which is submitted. 



Cyrus Kilburn, Chairman. 



Ephraim Graham's Statement. 



The orchard I offer for the society's premium consists of 

 fifty-six trees, all of which are Baldwin's, transplanted May 

 6, 1862. 



The land was an "old bound out pasture," producing only 

 a small quantity of feed ; but laurel, hard-hack, so called, 

 sweet fern and mullein were in abundance j the surface soil is 

 a light, sandy loam generally ; the subsoil, by no means cal- 

 carious, but clay intermixed in small quantities with gravel 

 and loam, and in some parts of the field small quantities of 

 sand, so that on the whole the soils are not what are gene* 

 rally termed favorable for the growth of fruit trees or the 

 best of fruit. 



The field has a southern slope and is well sheltered from 

 the north and northwest winds by another orchard and 

 buildings adjoining the same. 



In 1861 the field was twice plowed, as well as could be 



