1861.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
909 
Clover in an Orchard, etc. 
J. Cornelius,Union Co., Pa., inquires about the 
effect of clover on an orchard. We do not know 
that there is any foundation for the popular 
notion that “ clover is poisonous to fruit trees.” 
However, a thick mat of clover, growing near 
the trees, would draw heavily upon the soil, and 
also shade the roots too much C and in this re¬ 
spect a lighter grass would be preferable. No 
grass or other crop should grow upon the soil 
occupied by the roots of the trees; as fast as the 
roots extend out, diminish the amount of ground 
cultivated; and when the roots fill the ground, 
and the branches shade it, it is hardly worth 
while to attempt to get much of any other crop 
than fruit, if fruit be the main object. The sur¬ 
face should be kept free from weeds and foul 
stuff, and a frequent application of manure to 
the soil is repaid in larger, better fruit, and more 
of it. For a few years, a considerable portion 
of the soil between the rows of trees may well 
be devoted to hoed crops, with an occasional 
crop of peas, which leaves the ground clean. 
The more work you ask of a soil, the more you 
must feed it—with manure. A growth of clover 
turned under, is excellent food for a soil, in an 
orchard, or anywhere else. 
--» -- «»■ — • — - — 
Notes on the Borer. 
A correspondent of the Rural New-Yorker 
who has apparently observed the habits of the 
apple tree borer carefully, states that the insect 
comes out of the body of the apple tree fifteen 
or twenty inches from the ground, about the 15th 
or 20tli of June. Soon after this, the female be¬ 
gins to deposit her eggs, not by boring, but by 
placing them in the small openings of the cuti¬ 
cle or outer bark of the tree, near the ground. 
It appears that all these eggs are deposited be¬ 
tween the 20th of June and the 20tli of July. 
He recommends in the last week of June to 
clear away the earth from around the body of 
the tree down to the root, then with a trowel or 
similar instrument to scrape off the loose bark 
and dirt from the trunk as clean as may be, for 
twelve or fifteen inches from the ground. After 
this preparation, rub in hard soap until all 
crevices are filled, and finish by rubbing with 
the flat hand till the whole space is smoothly 
covered with a thin pellicle of soap, leaving no 
place for the insect to deposit her eggs. The 
soap will remain until the egg season is passed, 
and as it is washed off, will not injure, but ben¬ 
efit the tree. 
Cultivation of the Quince. 
Why is the quince bush so generally con¬ 
demned to some out of the way corner in the 
back yard, where old shoes, broken crockery, 
and other household rubbish are thrown ? When 
properly cared for, it is a beautiful ornamental 
shrub, with blossoms superior to those of many a 
prized foreigner; and its habit of growth makes 
it an admirable connecting link between the 
smaller shrubs and the standard trees. What 
more beautiful sight in Autumn than its bend¬ 
ing limbs loaded with golden fruit? And what 
Housekeeper thinks her winter stores complete 
without quince jelly, marmalade, or the fruit 
preserved plain ? The treatment of the bush 
has been shabby, and very often it has come into 
disfavor because it did not repay neglect with a 
fine yield of smooth handsome quinces. But it 
responds well to generous culture, and fruit- 
grovmrs have found it a profitable crop for mark¬ 
et. All good specimens sent to this City are 
eagerly bought up, and at prices which must 
make its cultivation remunerative. They have 
usually sold readily at from $1 50 to $2 per 100. 
The quince should have a rich, deep, mellow 
soil. Although the roots spread near the sur¬ 
face, depth of soil is needed to guard against 
drouth, to which the tree is very sensitive. The 
apple quince is most prolific, and the fruit is 
generally preferred to other varieties. The 
trees need an area of ten or twelve feet, and 
should therefore be set at about that distance 
apart. Deep cultivation, such as is required for 
the standard pear, will not do for the quince, 
because of the shallow depth at which the roots 
grow. A light hoeing, and mulching with tan 
bark, leaves, straw, or other suitable material 
must be depended on to keep down weeds, and 
supply moisture. An annual dressing of the 
surface with salt is generally recommended, 
but respecting the utility of this, we have some 
doubts. Little pruning is needed; only enough to 
clear out suckers and sprouts, and prevent rub¬ 
bing of the branches. The apple tree borer 
(Saperda bivitata) often attacks the trunk, and 
the same precautions are necessary for preven¬ 
tion, as in the case of the apple tree. 
The quince is easily propagated by cuttings, 
or layers. Seedlings are not certain to be true 
to kind, and it is therefore preferable to procure 
stock from a growing tree, if rooted plants of 
known variety can not be obtained. 
A Cheap and Convenient Fruit Gatherer. 
The accompanying illustrations represent a 
very convenient, cheap, and easily made appa¬ 
ratus for picking fruit, devised by Mr. Alfred II. 
Thorp, Fairfield Co., Conn., who forwarded 
drawings of it for the Agriculturist. To make it, 
take a strong wire, and bend it to the shape 
shown in the cut. Cut grboves the size of the 
wire on the opposite sides of the end of a pole, 
in which place the ends of the wire hoop, and 
secure them by winding with strong twine, or, 
what is better, with fine annealed wire. Sow a 
bag of stout glazed muslin to the rim of wire, 
and the implement is complete. The bag should 
be large enough to hold ten or a dozen fair¬ 
sized apples. Glazed cloth is better than plain 
muslin, because it is not so readily caught by the 
small branches. The pole could be made with 
a socket or rings near the lower end to splice it, 
if necessary, to reach fruit on high branches. 
The illustrations show the manner of using 
the apparatus. It is raised until the apple enters 
the larger bow of the rim, (Fig. 1,) then moved 
until the fruit is caught in the smaller one, (Fig. 
2,) and a gentle pull deposits it safely in the bag. 
When nearly filled it is lowered and emptied. 
Mr. Thorp used such an apparatus for gath¬ 
ering all his Winter apples, and he says the work 
was done more quickly and in better order than 
in the old way of using ladders and climbing 
about in the trees. Danger of injuring the limbs 
both of the tree and the boys, was avoided, and 
many fine specimens on the ends of the branch¬ 
es were secured uninjured, which must other¬ 
wise have been shaken down and bruised. The 
apparatus is not patented, and all are therefore 
free to make and use it. 
- ■» • --- 
How to Start a Vineyard—Profits of 
Grape Culture. 
With most persons, the first and great ques¬ 
tion is, Will it pay ? Not a few people are 
satisfied to plant a vine or two, without troub¬ 
ling tl^mselves with the inquiry as to their 
profitableness. It is enough for them to know 
that the grape-vine makes a pleasant shade 
around porch and window, and in clambering 
over the arbor. A very gratifying employment 
it is, to watch its growth from year to year, and 
to prune and train it into proper shape and 
abundant productiveness. How luscious, beau¬ 
tiful, and healthful the fruit! 
This is all very well, but there are many per 
sons, just now, who are inquiring about grape¬ 
growing as a business—they want to know 
whether it can be made profitable, in the same 
way that orcharding and market-gardening are 
profitable. And how is the work to be man¬ 
aged? We believe that grapes can be raised 
with profit, the fruit being used both for wine¬ 
making and for dessert. 
Of course, the nearer the vineyard is to one or 
more large cities, the better; as then the grapes 
can be got to market quickly and in good 
condition, to meet any demands, and on both 
grapes and wine there will be quite a saving in 
cost of transportation. 
A selection of suitable soil and exposure for 
the vineyard, is a matter of much importance. 
The grape is a child of the sun, and luxuriates 
in light and warmth. A porous subsoil is al¬ 
most indispensable to success. If in the site 
chosen there is anything like standing water, or 
what is called a “springy” state of the soil, it 
must be remedied by thorough draining: other¬ 
wise, the vineyard had better be given up. A 
slight inclination of the surface to the south is 
desirable, though not essential; but a steep 
slope to the north would be fatal to success. 
Natural or artificial shelter from cold winds is 
a good thing. A high hill, or stretch of forest 
trees on the north and west sides, will hasten the 
early growth and maturity of the crop very per¬ 
ceptibly. For wine-making, a site mid-way be¬ 
tween the damps of a valley and the cold winds 
of a liill-top, is most preferable. 
In preparing the soil for planting, we should 
advise thorough plowing and subsoiling. Run 
the double Michigan plow through first, about 
fourteen inches deep, and follow with a large 
sub-soiler. Let a plentiful manuring go along 
with this. Instead of using simple barn-yard 
dung, we would make a compost of such ma¬ 
nure mixed largely with woods-soil, or rotted 
sods, and chip-dirt, adding also a supply of ashes 
or bone-dust. Dr. Underhill, of Croton Point, 
whose grapes and wine have become famous in 
this city, applies, in some cases, from twenty to 
thirty bushels of bone-dust to the acre; and in 
others, uses a compost of swamp-muck, leaf- 
mold, rich loam, sods, weeds, grape-cuttings, 
stable manure, and potash. For fruit-raising, 
ample manuring is quite desirable; but for wine, 
all that is needed, is to bring the soil into a con 
dition suitable for raising Indian corn. Dr. Un 
derliill says that from $50 to $75 a year may be 
