112 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Apeil 



doubles both the quantity and value of his manure 

 heap. He always ploughs in his manure. 



Mr. GoLDTHWAiT, of Longmeadow, believed 

 that sand was of great value, as a "divisor and 

 absorbent." He made large use of it for that pur- 

 pose. He argued that it cost much less than 

 muck, was more easily handled, and was equally 

 as valuable. (So the reporter understood the 

 drift of his remarks.) 



For the New England Farmer. 

 PLANTING AN ORCHARD. 



In INIay last I set out about three acres to ap- 

 ple trees, the result of which was so favorable that 

 I am induced to give the details of the operation 

 for the benefit of those who may contemplate set- 

 ling trees, and desire the experience of others in 

 deciding on the most proper method of doing it. 



Before pi'oceeding to the statement, however, I 

 would suggest that every one should select their 

 own trees, or obtain some reliable man to do so 

 for them. However honest the nursery-man may 

 be, it is rarely the case that trees not selected by 

 the purchaser give full satisfaction. Some will be 

 found crooked and misshapen — roots mutilated, 

 or some serious defect about them in the eyes of 

 the purchaser. I confess to this folly myself. 

 Contracting for ti'ees two years from the bud, and 

 all good, straight trees, well rooted, &c., I got 

 many that were three and four years old and de- 

 ficient in roots. Some were even eaten through 

 with the canker worm, and condemned as worth- 

 less. 



But to the setting. I laid out the ground so as 

 to allow thirty-two feet space each way between 

 the rows, — dug the holes eight feet in diameter and 

 two feet deep, — put the surface soil by itself and 

 threw aside the subsoil. 



After the holes were dug, I put all the surface 

 soil in the bottom of the holes, which raised them 

 in most cases sufficiently for the trees to set upon. 

 I then hauled from one corner of the lot, where 

 two roads crossed each other, a wash deposit from 

 the roads and slopes converging there, and set the 

 trees in it, — most carefully spreading out the 

 fibrous roots and filling in all interstices with the 

 very finest of the material used. This mud wash 

 was thrown up in piles the fall previous for the 

 action of the frost upon it to pulverize, &c. After 

 the trees were well set with this, I had a space to 

 fill all round the holes to the depth of four inches 

 at the outer edge, and about half that depth at the 

 centre, which I filled up with good muck, dug the 

 year previous. As it was late in the season when 

 the trees were set, I feared that dry weather 

 might injure or kill them. I mulched with bog, or 

 fresh hay. As the season was very dry here, this 

 precaution proved to be a wise one, as I lost but 

 one tree of the whole set out. Owing to the ab- 

 sence of rain the growth was very slow until mid- 

 summer — after that unusually fast. I have now 

 some fears that the growth continued so late into 

 the autumn that the winter may injure the imma- 

 ture wood. 



What some term the Hessian bug, made sad 

 work with the leaves of many of the trees, espe- 

 cially the least hardy, apparently killing some of 

 them. These I cut ofi' about the fourth of July. 

 Some of these, after that, sent out shoots from 

 one to about four feet in length, which I regard as 

 quite remarkable. For the winter protection of 



the trees, I took away the mulching and filled 

 up around the trunk to the depth of eighteen inches 

 with muck, which I propose spreading in the 

 spring, putting ashes with it, and dig in slightly 

 to the soil, which is a sandy loam for the most 

 part. 



I will state that I do not approve of lifting or 

 shaking the tree when setting, to straighten the 

 roots or work the loam around them. I verily 

 believe it results in evil and only evil. As you 

 draw up the tree, of course those roots that were 

 well spread and straight are hauled out of place, 

 and of necessity crami)ed and crooked as it set- 

 tles. The loam should never be throion on to the 

 roots or against the tree — as in the one case it 

 cannot be properly worked in among the roots, 

 and in the other will displace the tree from its true 

 position in the row. o. K. 



Rochester, Dec, 1862. 



OPEN AIR GRAPE CULTURE. 

 In the Farmer of July last, we gave three or 

 four illustrations of the management of the vine 

 in open air grape culture, from a new work on the 

 subject, by Mr. John Phin. We present two or 

 three illustrations now, feeling that we cannot bet- 

 ter supply a general want of our readers than in 

 so doing — for it is not the gardener only, who 

 feels it, nor the farmer or mechanic, for the day la- 

 borer, even, who owns his rood of land, has be- 

 come satisfied that the perfect grape is liealthful 

 in its culture, ornamental in its ^j)Zace, exceedingly 

 yratcful and restorative to tht sick, and wholesome 

 as an article of food for persons of all ages. 

 There is no mystery whatever in its cultivation, 

 and none should be deterred from attempting it 

 from a fear that they shall not succeed. Indeed, 

 some of the best examples of its success may oft- 

 en be found in the door-yard of some person who 

 does not own four square rods of land, but who 

 supplies the three important things which the 

 vine needs — namely, a moderately rich, vioist, not 

 wet, porous soil — shelter from high winds, and 

 constant attention in pruning and cultivation. 

 Mr. Phin says : 



The vines having been carefully taken up and 

 the holes properly prepared to receive them, the 

 next step is to set them out, and in doing this the 

 following points require special attention : 



1. That the roots be disposed in their new lo- 

 cation as nearly as possible in the same position 

 that they occupied before their removal. 



2. That some fine, friable, mellow mould be 

 placed in immediate contact with the roots. 



3. That no fresh manure or decomposing organ- 

 ic matter be allowed to come in direct contact 

 with the plant under any circumstances whatever. 



4. That the soil be firmly packed about the 

 roots, no air spaces being left. In doing this, 

 however, do not tread down the plant Avith your 

 whole weight, as you will thus be very apt to tear 

 off some of the roots, but work the sail in with 

 your hand or a pointed sticli. 



In general it will be well to insert the plants a 

 little deeper in the soil than they were previously, 



