20 



COL. PUTjVMPS farm. 



Col. Jesse Putnam's farm is situated in the North Parish in 

 Danvers, about six miles from Salem. It contains about 114 

 acres; to wit — 44 of tillag-e — 40 of pasture — and 18 of wet, or 

 low-ground meadow. His woodland is not in Danvers. Most of 

 his tillage land is covered with orchards of apple trees ; of 

 which about 1200 are iarg-e enough to bear fruit ; and 400 have 

 been planted, or grafted, from two to six years. He raises his 

 own trees in nurseries ; which he renews from time to time, to 

 supply his own wants. He considers the spring the best time 

 for transplanting trees. In th:s operation he digs the holes four 

 or live feet in diameter, and two feet deep ; into which, in 

 planting the tree, he introduces rich soil, that the tree may 

 sooaer recover from the check it receives in the transplanting* 

 By giving such dimensions to the holes, the roots may be regu- 

 larly spread out in every direction, without being crowded. 

 He disapproves of making nurseries in very rich soils; because 

 the}' will generally be transplanted to poorer soils, and so be 

 sensibly and injuriously checked in their first growth. He thinks 

 it better to transplant from a poor to a rich soil, than from a 

 rich to a poor one. Most of his trees are grafted with winter 

 fruit, in selecting his fruits, he is careful to choose the kinds 

 that are good bearers, as v/ell as of good qualities ; grafting 

 over again, with other fruits, such trees as are not sufficiently 

 productive. Col. Putnam has found it very beneficial to young 

 trees, to w^ash them in the spring with a composition of lime, 

 clay, fresh cow dung and water ; as it removes the moss, destroys 

 the insects that find harbours in the rough bark, and gives a 

 smooth, vigorous and lively appearance to the trees. He has 

 found it serviceable to vary the manures applied to his trees, ac- 

 cording to the nature of the soil. He has frequently sown bar- 

 ley, or other grain, around them, and when 18 or 20 inches 

 high, dug it in. This he has thought one of the best modes of 

 manuring them; and (as well as every other way of manuring) 

 should extend to three or four feet from the tree, all round; 



* In planting trees^ the roots should be covered with earth at no 

 greater depth than before their removal 



