1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



15 



of cultivation, is only half wi'itten when the con- 

 fesion is made that James Smith, who "came into 

 general notice about 1S32, seems to be in fact, 

 the fii-st ach'ocate of any system ^yo^thy the name 

 of thorough drainage." (p. 37.) 



This leaves the subject of drainage -where, in my 

 opinion, it belongs — among the unsettled theories 

 of our own peculiarly theoretic age. s. F. 



Winchester, Nov., 1859. 



CARE OF OLD APPLE TREES. 



Many farmers who have old apple orchards are 

 neglecting them, and in many cases cutting them 

 down, to make room for young trees. This is poor 

 policy, to say the least. Old trees, by the exercise 

 of a little care and skill in managing them, may 

 be made almost as pi'oductive as young ones, and 

 in a much shorter time. All that is essentially 

 requisite to ensm-e this result, is to trim them> 

 carefully cutting away all the diseased and broken 

 limbs, and to free the trunks and larger limbs of 

 the "scurf" and moss, and after%vards to insert 

 girafts — care at the same time being taken to light- 

 en the soil, and make it rich, especially in the vi- 

 cinity of the roots. In renewing an old orchard 

 something like the following course may be ad- 

 vantageously pursued — the proprietor having first 

 examined the trees, and decided whether they have 

 sufficient vitality to renew their former energy 

 under pi'oper treatment. 



In April or May we should remove the rough 

 bark from the body and large limbs of the trees 

 with a scraper, an implement like those used by 

 boat-builders in removing the rosin from the seams 

 of boats and vessels, and afterwards scour the en- 

 tire surface with a mixture of sharp sand and ash- 

 es, mixed with soap and water. Every limb should 

 be treated in the same way, whether large or small, 

 that can be come at conveniently, and care taken 

 that all the moss and rough bark is removed. 



The trimming should not he undertaken until 

 about the middle of June, Avhen all crooked and 

 diseased wood shoidd be removed with the sharp- 

 est tools, reserving only such shoots and small 

 limbs as are of suitable size to gi-aft. If the trees 

 ai-e old and very much decayed, the number re- 

 tained for this purpose should be small, as there 

 may possibly not be enough energy or vital pow- 

 er in the system to sustain a large number, and 

 as too dense a top will necessarily tend to abridge 

 the recuperative action by producing too much 

 shade. 



The soil should also be thoroughly loosened 

 around the roots, and filled with strong and invig- 

 orating manure, and kept entirely free from weeds 

 and grass. The best stimulus, probably, that can 

 be applied, is a compost made of forest leaves, 

 well decomposed, house ashes, lime, gypsum and 

 common stable manure. From fifteen to twenty 

 bushels of this should be allowed to every large 



tree, and so worked into and incorporated with 

 the soil as to ensure its coming in close contact 

 with the roots. If the soil be of a light arena- 

 ceous, or sandy texture, a load of fine clay should 

 be spread over the surface, above the manure. 



In removing the limbs, all the stumps should 

 be coated with wax or tar softened with tallow, or 

 what is equally cheap and more easily applied, 

 gum shellac dissolved in alcohol. The reason why 

 so many old trees perish after the abscission of the 

 larger limbs, is, that no care is taken to ensure 

 the healing of the Avounds, which let out the life- 

 blood and energy of the system during the ascent 

 of the sap, leaving long, black lines of decaying 

 bark as a perpetual reproach to the unskilful or 

 perverse manager. 



The second year the trees may be grafted, and 

 if the tops promise not to be thick enough, new 

 branches may be permitted to start, to be engraft- 

 ed subsequently, and in such places as will ensure 

 a symmetrical and desirable form to the tops. 

 The most eligible shape for an apple tree is that 

 of an umbrella reversed ; but this must be a mat- 

 ter of taste with most persons. 



So far as working the soil and manuring is con- 

 cerned, our method refers to trees standing by 

 themselves ; where they are regularly set in or- 

 chard form, the best way would be to plow the 

 whole surface carefully and manure broadcast. 



This course may seem too precise and expen- 

 sive to some persons, — ^but if so, let them try the 

 cleansing, pruning and manuring process on a sin- 

 gle declining tree that they have long valued, and 

 see what a wonderful restoration will be efi'ected. 



For the New England Farmer 



PROFIT OP FARMING. 



I notice a piece in your paper of Nov. 12th, 

 18o9, headed, "How to reckon the Cost of Farm 

 Products," and signed T. J. Pinkham, Chelmsford, 

 1S.j9. Mr. P. gives us a very particular state- 

 ment of the cost of raising, and the value of one 

 acre of corn in dollars and cents, which statement 

 I am not disposed to find fault with ; but am dis- 

 posed to take it as it stands. I would only sim- 

 ply remark, that in Chelmsford, and its surround • 

 ing towns, where it is known that a farmer has 

 any corn of his own raising to sell, instead of so- 

 liciting purchasers, he will have five times as many 

 call on him as he can supply ; this shows that a 

 shilling a bushel is rather a high price to charge 

 for shelling and selling corn ; but still I am will- 

 ing to take all his figures, just as they are, and 

 thank friend Pi'.ikham for his close and fair calcu- 

 lation. It is just what I have been hoping some 

 one would do, and hope we will still have more 

 statements of the same nature, from those who 

 are disposed to believe there is no profit in farm- 

 ing. But I think his story will leave this subject 

 as it is. I think it would have a tendency to lead 

 young men who are now thinking what they shall 

 do for a living into a great error. There are two 



