282 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



EIGHTH AGRICULTURAL MEETING AT , is to prepare' and enclose the ^ronnd, as it is neccs- 



MARCH e, 184 



THK STATE HOUSE— Fee. 27 

 Hon. J<)si;il] Qiiincy, jr. in the Chair. The sub- 

 ject nnder digciission — "Fruit Trees." The edi- 

 tor of this paper opened the mecttng with the fol- 

 lowing rernarlis : 



A plentiful supply of jjond fruit is important to 

 our country in tliese particulars, viz: it is condu- 

 cive to our liealth, pleasure and profit. A plenti- 

 ful supply of the delicious fruits of our climate, 

 when fully mature, inuy be freely indulged in as 

 they successively appear, with beneficial effects. 

 To tho'e who have made ii commencement in 



sary that young trees should be protected from 

 cattle, 'i'he ground should be deeply pulverized 

 and enriched. The subsoil plow is a capital in- 

 strument to use, as by it the ground can be stirred 

 to the depth of 20 inches. '1 he ne.xt step to take 

 is to procure young tree.-!, suitatde for planting. 

 And in this matter it is necessary to use some pre- 

 caution. If the trees are taken from a nursery 

 where they have been crowded together, and forc- 

 ed by too great an application of manure, as is 

 sometimes the case, the trees when set out in a 

 more e.vposed situation and in poorer soil, will not 



.. -J ,,.u.-t, „jiu iiavc iii.iuc <i uuuiiiiKiicemeiu in I "'"ic LApuseu f iiuaiion anu in poorer soil, will no 

 horticultural pursuits, I need not say, they have j <lo well, and although they may not die, will re- 

 entered a field, which as they advance, presents at ceive so great a check that it will take many years 

 every step a more delightful aspect, giving increas- I for 'hem to recover. On the other hand, trees 

 ing satisfaction and pleasure. Let a man but once j should not he taken where they have been stunted 

 get a taste for the cultivation of fruit and ornninen- ' '" the nursery, and starved in such a manner that 



tal trees and plants, and he finds at his command ''""" '""•" '■" " '■ ' " ' 



all the rcla.vation and amusement desirable, in con- 

 nexion with his own family and home. 



The cultivation of good fruit, as n source of 

 profit, is engaging the attention of many in the vi- 

 cinity of our principal cities and villages; but it 

 will be a long time before the supply will be equal 

 to the demand. At present, the price of wood 

 fruit is so high that a numerous class are excluded 

 from purchasing miiny of the more delicious sorts 



they liave become mossy and diseased. Good 

 healthy trees should be selected, two years from the 

 seed, which if properly grown on vigorous stocks 

 and budded low, will bo about 6 feet high. 



The distance between apple trees should not be 

 less than two rods each way ; some say not less 

 than 40 feet. It is a common practice, and a very 

 good one, to set out intermediate rows of peach or 

 plum trees, which by the time the apples need the 

 _^ ...J _. ...^ ,..„.^ „>,,.^.uuc ouiio. I room, will be out of the way. Trees should be 

 The principal varieties of fruit which succeed I P'anted as near the surface as possible, and no ma- 

 in our climate, are the Apple, Pear, Quince, Plum, ! nure should come in contact with the roots. It is 

 Cherry and Peach, besides many other minor fruits, not considered necessary to slake trees, as thev 

 which though of less importance, are highly desira- frequently receive more injury from this, by chaf- 

 '^'^- '"ff. however wel! secured, than benefit; and most 



The Apple stands first in importance, as its use experienced persons have abandoned the practice 



is indispensable in every family. As an article of 

 export, it is of some and increasing consequence : 

 our climate is admirable for the perfection of 

 the fruit. 



Formerly, little attention was given by many of 

 our farmers to the quality of the apple which tliey 

 suffered to grow on their farms. If it was a good 



In my experience, and from observation, I have 

 come to the conclusion that an orchard should be 

 kept under perpetual cultivation, as by pursuing 

 this course, ihe trees will make more rapid pro- 

 gress, come into bearing quicker, and produce finer 

 fruit. This practice is pursued by some of our 

 most thrifty market gardeners. There are some 



... ^.„.. „., i,,^.. ,,,,,,1,3. ,, ,1 ,vu3 u gnou iiiuai, iiMiiijf luarKui garaeners. mere are some 



cider apple, it was all that was considered neces- 1 varieties of apples which never succeed well in 

 sary: good fruit for the family and market, was of I grass ground. [If the ground is very rich, and 

 minoj importance. If a farmer could make . 10, 100, ' the grass kept down as far about the tree a.s the 

 or 150 barrels of cider, it was about all he expect- I branches extend, and well manured every year, 

 ed from his orchard, or desired. It was enough j grass may he grown in the intervals between the 

 to /urfd/e his own and his neighbor's family for the 'trees; hut this is difl^erent from the practice of 

 year to come— and what, with the feelings and j permitting the grass to take full possession, with a 

 habits then prevailing, could he wish for more. scanty supply of manure.] 



But when the glorious Tkmperance Refokma- The enemies of the apple tree are the borer, 

 Tio.N dawned upon us, and the brains of the peo- | curculio, canker worm, and caterpillar; and they 

 pie began to be a little more clear, and their men- lOre great obstacles to the successful cultivation of 

 tal vision more distinct, th« inquiry was made, '^'^ ''"'* 

 " What shall we do with our orchards'?" At first' 



some, in their zeal, were disposed to wreak their 

 vengeance upon the trees, and inconsiderately 

 " laid the axe to the root," and felled them to the 

 ground ; but the more discerning soon discovered 

 that apples were valuable food for stock, and many 

 were consumed in this way. As the vitiated taste 

 of men became reformed with their habits, a de- 

 sire for better fruits was manifest, and we liad the 

 pleasure of witnessing the renovation of many or- 

 chards by grafting them over witli good fruit. 



In New England are found many native varieties 

 of the Apple, of the first clasii, and which for our 

 climate, are superior to any in the w„rld. Amoiif 

 all the imported varieties, and those from the Mid° 

 die States, few will couipare with the Baldwin, 



this fruit. 



The Pear tree is next in importance to the apple, 

 and require rich soil, inclining to moisture. On 

 dry, lean soil, good and perfect fruit cannot be ex- 

 pected. Pears are budded on pear and quince 

 stocks. It is well to have some of each descrip- 

 tion. Some varieties of pears succeed best on 

 quince stocks ; they come into bearing much quick- 

 er, and the fruit in some cases is more perfect and 

 higher colored. Trees on quince stocks may be 

 planted very thick, and, where there is but little 

 ground and many varieties desired, are most to be 

 preferred. We have in cultivation many fine for- 

 eign varieties, which are hardly known among our 

 farmers generally. Our Horticultural Society has 

 done much in introducing and proving many valu- 

 able varieties, and they have gathered togellier 



T) I n ^ ■ — — -■■..., uuiu vuiictii.-i>, uiiu iiiey lave sat lerecl tofelner 



kntcTal "''V "'"'r-'^^r'"'''''^'"'"'^'' -nyfine native sortsf besides' those ge,rer ay 

 long catalogue of native fruits that might be enu- kno.vn. During the last season, they have brought 



Our native seedlings are generally better ada 

 In our climate than many foreign sorts, and bt 

 bearers and more hardy. The new varieties al 

 ed to, are the Hull, Wilbur, McLaughlin and L 

 rence. 



[The Hull and the Wilbur were received f 

 D. Wilbur, jr., Somerset, Mass., on the 23 

 September, then in eating. A beautiful seed 

 was exhibited at the Horticultural Rooms b 

 W. Oliver, of Lynn, in perfection 21st of Octo 

 the flavor very fine, having some resemblanc 

 the Seckel, but a size larger and more heaut 

 On the 25th of November, the Lawrence Pear 

 examined and tested: it was from WilcomU 

 King, nurserymen, Long Island, N. Y. ; pronoi 

 ed very fine. On Dec. 2d, Mr S. L. Goodal. 

 Saco, Me., exhibited a Pear known by the n 

 of the McLaughlin, of fine quality, which 

 originated in the vicinity of Portland.] 



The fire-blight is a disease which is often 

 structive to llie Pear tree. 



The Quince requires a moist, rich soil, and 

 no enemy except the borer. There can hardly. 



said to be more than two varieties the Orau 



and Portugal. 



In the cultivation of the Plum tree, we 

 much to contend with. It is subject to the ra 

 ges of the Curculio, which in some districts 

 discouraged the horticulturist in attempting 

 raise this fine fruit. lu the city of Boston" 

 some places in Ihe vicinity, it is raised to per 

 lion ; while in other locations the crop is inva 

 bly destroyed, or so little is perfected as hardb 

 make it an object to encumber the ground v 

 the trees. The black warty excrescence is an. 

 er disease fatal to the tree, if not timely chec 

 by amputating or cutting off the diseased p 

 Salt has been recommended as destructive to 

 Curculio, and has in some cases been applied n 

 success. 



The Cherry is a delicious and healthy fruit, e; 

 ly cultivated, and not so common among farm 

 as it should be. Some persons complain of 

 depredation of birds upon this fruiT, and speak 

 them as very annoying; but in Brighton, we hi 

 enough for birds, boys and all, and many rot 

 the trees. If any farmer would sot out a do; 

 trees, there would be no complaint on this score 



As to the Peach, it is a most delicious fruit, , 

 Ihe greatest obstacle in its cultivation is the sev 

 ity of the climate. In same severe cold seaso 

 the trees have all been destroyed, and often sul 

 so as not to bear abundantly ; but notwuhsland 

 these groat discouragements, it is best to persev. 

 and keep planting, as the young trees will be; 

 to bear in two or three years after planting I 

 stone, if budded the first season, which is the°bi 

 method. 



(Concluded on cdilorial page.) 



meratcd. 



In setting out an orchard, the first important step 



— ' — J — - -.""Qiit 



to notice four or five new varieties of native pears, 

 which are worthy of a place in every collection. 



Charcoal for Manure. — Charcoal is recommen 

 ed as a manure, because it is an absorbent of ai 

 monia, and it is supposed that by spreading it 

 the soil, it will absorb the ammonia from "the i 

 mosphere, and transmit it to the growing plants 

 tliey require. That it is an absorbent of ammoni 

 may be known from its taking away the efiluv 

 from tainted meat or fish. So completely will 

 do this, that we have known meat that had consi 

 erably taken hurt, made good and free from ar 

 disagreeable taste or smell, by being repacked wii 

 charcoal between each layer Mb. Cult. 



