Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-02-23
Reported for the Waterman q Journal
Randolph Farmers Club.

ure at once tempt his appetite, and you ca
control him. Fruit tempts our appetite, an
for that reason alone is a subject Of deep in
tercst Nature has arranged her fruits 70
the benefit ofman, and during the whole yea
we arc not destitute of them. First come
the Strawberries, followed quickly by tn,
Raspberry, Blackberry Cherry, Plum an,
lastly by the Apple-bcst Of all, because j
lasts longer. Some apples ripon in sxt,
days from the blossom, but rot soon. Other
keep throughout the year Last week W,
were told that the apple tree had run out.
should as soon think our horses had run out
because some are worn out and broken down
II the vitality Of the standard tree has been
exhausted by long cultivation, why is not the
Crab in like situation, it being older p
Entirely new varieties Of the potato are rails
ed by planting the potato ball then why
not renew our apple tree by planting seeds ?
Gould it have been the intention Of the Al
mighty that we should have apples until the
middle of the 10Th century, and afterwards
none ? Humbugs will tell us what is going
on in another part Of the country, and doubt.
less when they 60 away will lie about this
place. They have told US that Massachusetts
has raised no apples for twelve years. Now
saw in Massachusetts, trees that, set out
years ago, bore as well, and were as thrifty
as ever. They are taken care of, however
and washed each year with soap and ashes
1t is not strange that trees should die. Al.
most every farm had an orchard that once
did well. Now in order to have others in
their place, we must take as much pains as
with corn and wheat. One tree in town bore
seventy bushels last Fall and its owner has
now in his celcr fifty barrels of cider. Or.
chards in the adjoining town of Braintree
bear from 800 to 700 bushels Two cider
mills in Bethel were taxed to their utmost
while people were drawing apples to one in
Brookheld as late as December. A mill in
North Randolph ground until it froze up,
and had to turn away large quantities of ap.
pies. Does this look as though our trees
were failing us2 Everything has its ups and
downs. Wheat and corn are poor some years
Thirty years ago my father was obliged to
give up raising wheat Now we can grow it.
Apples are no exception to the general rule.
Many of our orchards are dying of old age.
Now as the nourishment has nearly all been
sucked from the soil, We must pay more at
tention TO the business-manure our trees,
cultivate them and protect them.
Mr. KErcHuM of Barre, Fifty-fye years
ago every farm had an orchard and tansy
bed. never saw better apples than were
raised then. The old settlers took better care
of their trees however than we do, and as
they prospered then by cultivation, so they
will now. Fifty.dye years ago trees remained
thrifty for a number of years. Thirty-fve Or
forty years ago we had very warm winter,
and Immediately after a cold one. This
seemed to kill the trees, and they have not
done well since. Many trees, which have died
without any seeming reason, were probably
killed by the borer. Within two or three
years we have not seen the borer, and trees
have done better. We cannot raise nice
fruit, however, without cultivation. While
in New York visited some of the best or
ohards about picking time and noticed that
the ground was well cultivated being mostly
plantai m - n. l..
devoted to grass, trees were poor and the APP
pies inferior. | think trees raised in our own |
nurseries better than those brought from
distance Am anxious to know if we can
graft our Standard scions into Grabs.
ERAsTus HEBARD. Although apple trees
have not done so well for thirty years, there
is no need of their going by, if We do our
duty. Not only was the soil new, but more
pains were taken thirty years ago than now
Having drawn all the nutrimcnt from the
soil, the trees are actually dying of starva-
ton Around one of my trees, which was
apparently dead, put ashes and manure, and
it now bears twelve bushels year. All the
old branches dropped of, and new top came
out | am sorry that the cider question is
considered OF so much Importance We
should cultivate apples for eating purposes
Am opposed to pruning when the sap flows.
If done in June, they will leak until October.
Think August better month.
W. w. WALDRIDGE. My father was very
careful every Spring to scrape his trees and
destroy the insects upon them The bark
was smooth and the trees thrifty. Once the
soil possessed all the elements requisite to
grow tree now man must use brain work. !
1t is too often the case that young trees are
thrust in to little holes, and left with the
grass to grow around them. Place healthy
scion in healthy standard, and we shall Sc.
cure healthy fruit.
A. l.. Mouse. Which is it the most profit
able for farmer to raise, apples at sl,Q0
per bushel' or potatoes at forty cents per
bushel A man with an orchard has a good
source of income, and his farm will sell for
more money. But to succeed we must take as
much pains as with any other branch Of our
farm, and not, when putting out trees, place
them on the ground to see how small hole
We eau cram the roots into.
Q. 5. PAINE. My experience with grapes
the past season has been as follows: | have
the Hartford Prolific, Delaware, and Concord,
beside common sorts, The Concord vines
bore full the grapes were fine aud free from
mold, but did not get ripe, although the frost
held off well. Consider them too late for
this climate. The branches of the Delaware
are about two feet long, and hung full of the
finest fruit | ever tasted. They ripened
about the middle of September, and may be