372 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



From the Ma?:. Agricultural Repository. 

 ON THE MAN.\GEMENT OF ORCIIARU?. 



The zeal which has of late been manifested 

 in effecting more beneficial modes of cult-ire of 

 our annual crops of grain and other vegetables, 

 the science and economy so usefully inculcated 

 and observed in preserving and in applving the 

 Tnultiplicd discoveries of the means of slinuilat- 

 ing vegetable growth and increase, as well as 

 the spirit of improvement in the genoral imple- 

 ments of agriculture, cannot fail to a<lvance the 

 interests of the country, and afford a lively gra- 

 tification to the agriculturist. 



There is an oliject of culture, however, the 

 advantage of which, if not so immediate, or even 

 necessary, yet adds much to the comfoil, happi- 

 ness and wealth of the farmer, and may be con- 

 sidered his proper pride and luxury — the apple 

 tree. 



There is a moral consideration, which should 

 induce an attention to this subject, in the opin- 

 ion held by many, that cider should supersede, 

 and is the best substitute for spirituous liquors. 



Taken as a luxury of our table, as furnishing 

 an excellent drink, as it were the wine of our 

 country, or as an article of export, the apple 

 stands foremost in the fruits of New England. 

 It should not be forgotten, that of late, in addi- 

 tion to the usual markets, a very great export 

 has taken place to Europe, and that the flavor 

 of our apple is highly estimated thero. 



It may be useful to impiire what is the con- 

 dition of our orchards ? are they not in a state 

 of decline? what are the causes? and how to 

 be obviated? But most of all, it will lie of great 

 importance, if more attention can be excited to 

 this subject, so as to encourage communications 

 from the experience of our intelligent farmers; 

 or if any hint should be suggested herein, by 

 which, those disposed to add a fruitlul orchard 

 to their farms may find aid or encouragement. 



As to the state of our orchards, it is believed 

 from a careful inquiry, that in those parts of the 

 Commonwealth longest settled, they are on the 

 decline. Among the causes that have induced 

 this, besides the natural decay of old orchards, 

 and the neglect to set out and bring on new 

 ones, may be mentioned — the desolating canker 

 worm, the caterpillar, and the boring worm, at 

 the root. The blowing down of a vast number 

 in Norfolk and Bristol, particularly in the Sep- 

 tember gale, in 1815, and the great injury done 

 some years since, by the formation of ice upon 

 trees, wherchy they have been overburthened 

 and broken down : all these causes have con- 

 dpircd to diminish the number, more than is at 

 present apprehended. 



From ex|ierience and observation, it will, it 

 is believed, result, that even though there may 

 be some liio and vigor in those trees which 

 were hoisted and propped up ; yet they will 

 give but little fruit, and pass into premature 

 decay. The breaking olVtlie groat lateral roots 

 is generally a decisive injury to the tree, be- 

 sides exposing it to blow over, whenever its 

 props become weak, insecure or displaced. 



In obviating the evils which beset our trees, 

 the modes are various, and require great labor 

 and application. They are too often abandoned 

 to the canker worm and caterpillar, to the total 

 loss of Iruit and Ibliage. Thus the tree, by put- 

 ting for>h its leaves twice a year in an annual 

 recurrence, becomes exhausted, vinhealtby, and 

 is often totally destroyed. 



Many preventatives to the ravages of the 

 canker worm have been practised. The use of 

 tar is most frequent and efi'ectual ; but as it in- 

 jures the tree by its heating and binding nature, 

 it would be very desirable for the fertility and 

 vigor of the orchard, if some more easy and 

 less injurious mode could be suggested. As to 

 the caterpillar, whenever the tree is bare of 

 leaves, and the eggs can be discovered and de- 

 stroyed, which is practicable upon low and 

 small trees, it is most effectual. A flapper is 

 used by some, dipped in fish oil and applied to 

 the nests, but the removal of them by hand, 

 though slow, has, when the caterpillar is in the 

 nest, been of necessity the prevailing practice. 

 It is, to be sure, slow, and it is to be wished a 

 better mode might be suggested.* The injury 

 done by the worm which perforates and bores 

 its way into the centre of young apple trees, 

 threatens great injury, and one of our Trustees 

 (Mr. Prince) has practised a mode of destroying 

 it in the tree, by the insertion of a wire, as de- 

 scribed in the last number of this Repository. 

 But it is to be hoped that some application at 

 the rim of the tree, near the root, may be found 

 out, which may prove obnoxious to the insect 

 which deposits the egg, and remove the appre- 

 hension and alarm excited by this last enemy. 

 The decay and other injuries mentioned, whe- 

 ther natural or accidental, are such as cannot 

 be guarded against in any considerable degree. 

 The prudence and good management of our 

 farmers will always effect something. If then, 

 our orchards are on the decline from age and 

 other circumstances, and we have been inatten- 

 tive to bring forward a new growth, would it 

 not be useful to turn our attention to this sub- 

 ject. The value of the fruit should induce the 

 culture of the tree. 



The situation for an orchard is well under- 

 stood by our farmers. It flourishes best in a 

 moist and strong stony soil, where it is not ex- 

 posed to the wind. It cannot be attempted with 

 success to bring forward an orchard in an old 

 field, a green sward, or an exposed state, to be 

 rubbed against by cattle. 



It is, however, more easy than is generally 

 supposed, to overcome many natural disadvan- 

 tages, and an orchard may be brought forward, 

 and made productive in a few years, in a situa- 

 tion (when wished) not so favorable. To shew 

 this, two cases will be mentioned which have 

 been attended with good success. 



In the one, a low piece of strong stony land 

 was taken. As it was rather flat, it was plough- 

 ed in strips, or dug in spaces about four feet 

 square. As it was necessary to plough a furrow 

 between each row, the mode of ploughing in 

 strips was found the best, as by turning the fur- 

 row towards the tree, the land was better drain- 

 ed. Besides raising the ground a little from 

 the surrounding soil, half a buckload of loom 

 was added to raise the ground on which the 

 tree was set. After this was done, the strips or 

 squares, as the case might be, were appropri- 

 ated to the culture of potatoes and garden veg- 

 etables. In a few places only, the trees failed 

 from the insufficiency of the drain. But by 

 opening the drain and raising the ground, by 

 half a buckload of loom, I found on setting out 



* The brush recommended by Col. Pickering in a 

 commuuicution published in our paper, page 308, is 

 perhaps as eligible and effectual a remedy against ca- 

 terpillars as any which can be devised. — Ed. J^. E, F. 



i\ new tree, it flourished equally with the re»t. \t 

 This orchard, now in eight years, is a most"^ 

 valuable one, and most of the trees would o-ive ^ 

 half a barrel of apples. 



From this and other circumstances which have 

 fallen within my observation, it appears that low i 

 land, if strong and well drained, will give a fine 

 orchard, and probably sooner than any other. 



The next eflbrt was made under totally op 

 posite circumstances. The object was, to have 

 an orchard on a particular spot, where the soi 

 was ihin and light upon a plain or flat. The 

 holes were dug four feet over. The two uppei 

 strata of black and yellow loam were placec 

 aside the tree. After this, about ten inches it 

 depth of the gravelly or poorer earth was taker 

 out and carted off, and a horse-cart load of stone- 

 upset into the hole ; upon these, a part of the 

 upper stratum, or some dirt from the side o: 

 the road was scattered .so as to fill up the inter- 

 stices, since which the spots near the tree- 

 have been cultivated, by planting four hills oi 

 potatoes round each tree. The result has beer 

 tolerably favorable with all But the trees hav- 

 ing the stones placed at the roots have exceed 

 ingly outstripped the other?.* 



From the result it is to be hoped, that in thi^ 

 easy mode, disadvantages may be counteracted 

 and the benefit of a deep soil had for the growli 

 of an orchard near our dvvellings, or wherevci 

 wished. .\s to the distance, 1 incline to less 

 than is general. The best orchards I have seec 

 hare been from 25 to 30 feet distance. Thi^ ' 

 is the more important, as the land if fed at all 

 should only be occasionally cropped a little h\ 

 horses. Horned cattle, if freely admitted, wil 

 soon disappoint all expectation. It will be per 

 ceived in the difficulty of raising an orchard, at 

 old and long improved soil is alluded to. In : 

 new soil where the apple tree is introduced, ir 

 clearing off the forest, in this part of the coun 

 try, as well as Upper Canada, they set out ; 

 tree which they often defend by upsettin" ! 

 stump, so as to enclose it between roots, anc 

 they have fruit very soon indeed. 



The profit of a fine orchard is familiar to ouj 

 farmers. The fact is well known in this neigh 

 borhood, that 160 barrels of apples were gath- 

 ered a few years since, from less than two acres 

 in the town of Dorchester. This, with the ci- 

 der made from the refuse apples, and grass, 

 gave about g300 per acre ; an income rare! 

 exceeded in the improvement of soil. 1 havi 

 been minute and particular, from a wish, that 

 others better informed, may be induced to com- 

 municate the advantages of their experience 

 A fine orchard is not only a source of emolu- 

 ment to a farmer, but one of the most beautiful 

 and gratifying objects that can adorn a country 

 I am yours, JOHN WELLES. 



Ill II 

 ilid 



ffli 



*The dimensions of the Trees in the first experiraeni 

 — a rich, low, black, stony soil, drained, were at thi 

 expiration of eight years 15 to 17 inches circumfcrencr 

 one foot from the ground. This may be considered 

 (the tree being small when set out,) as a growth oi 

 about two inches a year. The growth in the secoml 

 experiment for six years, was, 1-2 to 14 inches in tlu 

 holes, in which the stones were put one foot from thi 

 ground. Where no stones were put, nine inches wa; 

 the growth. It will thus he perceived, that the vege- 

 tation vtas most powerful under circumstances by ua 

 ture least favorable. If then, thus much can be done 

 to counteract such disadvantages, it surely offers much 

 encouragement to our efforts, and leads us to hope, 

 that not only in this, but lu other objects, they may It 

 beneficially extended- 



