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THE ILLIlSrOIS FAEMEE. 



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From the Wisconsin Farmer. 



Apple Orchards— Planting New Trees 

 between the Rows. 



Permit me, Mr. Editor, to trespass on your time 

 and patience for a little advice. I ask your opin- 

 ion because I have followed you through the pages 

 of the Farmer, and know that you are interested 

 in fruit-raising, and that you have traveled much 

 through the State, and believe you have been as 

 much interested in observing the growth of fruit 

 trees as in eating the fruit. 



I have an orchard planted to trees in squares of 

 thirty feet apart. I wish to plant more trees, but 

 I have no more land than I wish to occupy as an 

 orchard. I came from Vermont, where apple trees 

 bear earlier here and are more dwarfish in their 

 habits. Now, will it be profitable or advisable to 

 plant as many more trees on the ground, so that 

 they shall stand in squares fiteen feet apart ? I 

 have been told to do so, but I wish to appeal to 

 your large observation and good judgment in 



the matter, 



John L. Sexton. 



KussEL, Wis., April 1863. 



Answer. — Fifteen feet apart would be rather too 

 close for appla trees. If in your stead would plant 

 one tree in the center of each square of four trees. 

 This would give you half as many more trees than 

 you now have, and leave no two nearer than twen- 

 ty feet apart. The rows will be diagonal in their 

 direction across the field, or, in other words, they 

 will stand in what is known as the quincunx ar- 

 rangement. ^^- 



^We have an orchard on our Leyden farm set 



twenty four feet apart each way ; being satisfied 

 that they were too far apart we have set ip each 

 row as many more trees, but we selected those of 

 upright growth that would occupy less than the 

 usual space. In this instance they were the Kes- 

 wick Codlin. This orchard now contains twelve 

 hundred trees on ten acres. We prefer to set in 

 the old rows for the reason that it will be much 

 more convenient to cultivate the intermediate 

 space between the rows, which to us is of no small 

 importance. Trees will bear crowding in the rows 

 if there is air space between them. In setting an 

 orchard considerable will depend on the habit of 

 the trees, whether upright or spreading in their 

 habits. Many varieties, like Summer Rose, Red 

 June and Hawthornden, occupy but little space, 

 compared to Rhode Island Greening and Winsap. 

 In setting an orchard rather close, it would be well 

 to alternate these varieties in the same row. 



Ed. 



Grub in the Head of Sheep. 



Dr. Dadd, in a communication to the Prairie 

 Farmer, says the only way to prevent grub in the 

 head of sheep, is to put plenty of "grub" into the 

 stomach of the animal — and that it is a well known 

 fact that sheep properly attended to, well fed, and 

 housed, are never troubled with the parasite known 

 as the grub 



—In ancient days the precept was, "Know 

 thyself." In modern times it has been sup- 

 planted hy the far more fashionable maxim, 

 "Know thy neighbor and everything about 

 him." 3 



From the Country Gentleman. 

 Humbugs. 



We find copied into an exchange an article which 

 is credited to the "Rural New-Yorker," but which 

 in some unaccountable way escaped our notice 

 when it appeared in that journal — headed "Orien- 

 tal Sugar Root," and denouncing an attempt to 

 palm off upon the agricultural community by means 

 of circulars, the seed of some extravagantly laud 

 plant which has not been heard of as yet through 

 any other source. As we have never seen one of 

 these circulars, nor ever had any knowledge of any 

 kind either as regards the plant itself or of the 

 parties introducing it, we might not refer to the 

 subject, but from the fact, which we are also first 

 apprized through the article of our cotemporary, 

 namely, that the circular in question "ofifers two 

 excellent publications — the Illustrated Annual Reg- 

 ister of Rural Affairs, and the Country Gentleman 

 — as premiums for orders for seed." The "Rural 

 New-Yorker" of last week adds : "That is a very 

 good movement — far more ingenious than the his- 

 tory of the ' Oriental Sugar Root ' itself. The 

 coupling of the names of this respectable annual 

 and valuable journal with the humbug will doubt 

 less deceive a few, but we seel safe in saying such 

 use is not authorized by the publishers of said an- 

 nual and journal." 



The devise of this individual «ertainly deserves 

 credit of great ingenuity, for it might seem to con- 

 nect his operations in some way with us, at least 

 by implication, if indeed he should not have ven- 

 tured even farther. We shall be glad to receive a 

 copy of the circular for examination, but think 

 that no further avowal than that already given is 

 necessary, of our entire ignorance of the whole 

 enterprise, and of our decided opinion that it is a 

 complete humbug. Nevertheless, it is certainly to 

 be hoped that those who have been led to order 

 seed, will also have been furnished with the prom- 

 ised copies of this journal and of the Annual Reg- 

 ister, since they may possibly receive in that way 

 a better and fuller equivalent for their money, than 

 they will ever harvest in roots or "superior white 

 sugar at the rate of twenty pounds to the busheL" 



And while we are on the subject of humbugs, 



