586*4. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



79 



For the New England Farther. 

 ABOUT NEW YORK FRUIT TREES. 



In the Farmer of January 2d, C. F. Lincoln, of 

 Woodstock, Vt., inquires whether apple trees from 

 the New York nurseries are as good for setting 

 in the Eastern States as those raised near home. 

 My observations on the subject have not been ex- 

 tensive enough, perhaps, to warrant general state- 

 ments, but for the benefit of Mr. L. and others 

 who may be about planting an orchard, I will com- 

 municate what I know respecting the fate of West- 

 ern trees planted in this vicinity. Two years 

 since, a number of hundred apple trees and some 

 pear trees were set in the writer's immediate 

 neighborhood from the Rochester nurseries. They 

 arrived about the second week of November, 

 properly packed and neatly labeled, and were set 

 by different persons, on different farms, and thus 

 subjected to different exposures. The first win- 

 ter the trees were all more or less winter-killed ; 

 some merely had the extremities of the branches 

 killed for a few inches to a foot or more ; others 

 were killed half way down, and not a few entirely 

 to the ground. All were thus much injured, and 

 during the following summer, in some orchards 

 more than in others, the bark on the limbs and 

 bodies turned black in spots, the outer bark curled 

 up and came off, and many trees that survived 

 the winter did not live out the summer. At the 

 end of the second summer fully half were dead 

 entirely, or worse than dead, (in some orchards 

 more than half, in others less,) and the survivors 

 were a hard looking set, — an eyesore to their pur- 

 chasers. The pear trees seem to have lived bet- 

 ter, and in one case where the apple trees were 

 protected from the north winds by woodland, they 

 have been less injured, and show more signs of 

 thrift. Trees grown at home and set with those 

 that have turned out worst, were not at all in- 

 jured by the winter, and have grown well under 

 the same treatment given the Western trees. 



These farmers have been regretting for two 

 years that they did not buy their trees at home, 

 where they could have bought larger and better 

 trees of the same varieties for the same money ; 

 and long since declared they wanted nothing more 

 to do with Western trees. But last summer two 

 polished, smooth-tongued agents of the Syracuse 

 nurseries were here trying to induce the farmers 

 to buy some of their trees. They were sorry the 

 farmers here had been so imposed on with such 

 trees. It was too bad, certainly, they said ; but 

 they ought not to let this prejudice them against 

 other nurseries, &c. They would like to have 

 them buy a few trees of them ; they only cared to 

 sell a. few to each man, so they could try them, 

 and in a few years they would want to buy large 

 quantities of these trees, when they should be 

 around again. The farmers were very reluctant, 

 but the agents were importunate, in a very gentle- 

 manly way, of course, and they generally took a 

 few, agreeing for some choice variety. The trees 

 were to be much larger and nicer than the Roch- 

 ester trees, and the price for them a little higher. 

 The trees came in due time, but were not better 

 in size or appearance than were the Rochester 

 trees ; and instead of alt being neatly labeled, as 

 they were to be, and of the variety specified, only 

 two or three trees in a dozen were labeled at all, 

 and those were not of the variety agreed for. The 

 disgust of these buyers, with Western trees, is ex- 



tremely great, and with the agents who sell them. 

 How the trees will grow remains to be seen. 



Some years since, some trees from the Western 

 New York nurseries that were set in an adjoining 

 town, turned out very badly, a large proportion 

 dying off sooi* after setting, while the others did 

 not grow much for several years. In some por- 

 tions of Central Vermont, where many Rochester 

 trees have been set within a few years, the trees 

 have turned out so badly, I have been informed, 

 that no more are likely to be sold in that vicinity. 

 In Connecticut I have learned (by way of the 

 agent who sold them,) that the Rochester trees 

 are doing quite well. 



In conclusion, by way of counsel to the inter- 

 ested, I cannot do better than advise a very care- 

 ful reading of the excellent article by "Viator," 

 in the Farmer of Jan. 9th, entitled "Bump's Pa- 

 tent Atmospheric Attempering Churn," so full of 

 just strictures upon agricultural imposters and lo- 

 quacious venders of marvellous inventions and 

 products at wonderfully cheap rates. In connec- 

 tion with this subject I would especially commend 

 his remarks about purchasing fruit trees. Trees 

 already acclimated to your locality are far more 

 likely to do well than those brought from a dis- 

 tance, especially if the change of climate be from 

 a warmer to a colder, or if there is much differ- 

 ence in the relative humidity of the two regions. 



Sjmngjield, Mass., Jan. 20, 1864. 



Fur the New England Farmer. 

 CURE FOR SORE EYES IN SHEEP. 



Mr. Editor : — I notice in the Farmer of Jan. 

 2d, an article headed "Sore Eyes and Sore Mouths 

 in Sheep," with a request from you for a reply, 

 &c. My lambs the past fall had a similar disease 

 of the lips, which I readily cured with two appli- 

 cations, one about a week after the other, of an 

 ointment made of tallow one-quarter pound, fresh 

 butter one quarter of a pound, tar a half-teacup- 

 ful, sulphur, one tablespoonful. Melt the tallow, 

 butter and tar, and stir until well mixed ; when 

 nearly cold add the sulphur. The sores should be 

 well smeared with the ointment. I should choose 

 a warm or mild day for the application. 



I presume washing the eyes with tepid water 

 every day for some days would cure them ; but if 

 not, I should dissolve about one ounce of white 

 vitriol in a pint of warm water, and apply thor- 

 oughly to the inflamed eyes after gently washing 

 them clean. It might need repeating a few times. 



Give the sheep pure, clean water to drink, and 

 plenty of good herdsgrass hay, cut in good sea- 

 son, to eat, with a warm, well ventilated barn or 

 shed for shelter, well littered. 



The disease of the eyes is probably catarrhal 

 inflammation, and may be caused by keeping them 

 on low, wet pasture in the summer ; or by keep- 

 ing them exposed to the strong odors arising from 

 their manure in close barns, or by drinking' impure 

 water from a well in the barnyard. With us, the 

 eyes of woolly-faced sheep are sometimes injured 

 or inflamed by feeding foul meadow hay in narrow 

 racks,— the seeds and chaff adhering to the wool 

 and working in f o and irritating the eye. 



Yours, W. P. Wright. 



Wliiting, Vt. 



Negligence is the rust of the soul that cor- 

 rodes her best resolutions. 



