Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-11-21
Fruit Raising.


Club, on Saturday evening, Nov. OH
No branch of husbandry presents so
many attractions rs fruit raising. II we
look at it as a mere matter OF dollars and
cents, CT rs ministering 10 our comfort
and convenience, it is equally interest
ing. That fruit raising can be made 4
source of profit, is an admitted fact by
all who have engaged in it, The reason
why it is not engaged in to a greater ex'
tent, it is too tardy making its dividends
to suit this fast age. Could tree be
planted in April, and yield its fruit the
next October, the business would be over
done at once, and the market would be
gutted each returning year with the
choicest OF fruit. But as tree must be
first planted, and then tended and cult
vated, and pruned year after year; and
long, long years must be spent in watch
ing and waiting, before the harvest can
be obtained, il seems too much work
ing for posterity. TO be engaged in readi-
ly by all, and is therefore neglected By
many, and farm after farm can be found
in our good lruit-growing region, on
which no efforts have been made to raise
fruit, and none is raised, except what
came up spontaneously, and has grown
,.,;,bout ouIt;yo,;on
There are two aspects in which we may
look at the subject of lruit-growing.-
First. its pecuniary aspect, or will it pay
to raise fruit9 This point | believe to be
conceded in most minds, therefore | will
pass it without argument. 1t ia in the
other aspect, us ministering to the wants
of our existence, and rs the means Of
gratifying our desire for the good things
OF this life, and OF fulfilling the claims
which hospitality has upon US, that it be-
comes most interesting to me. What n
mine of wealth to the gustatory organs
is contained in a basket OF nice ripe fruit.
What greater act OF hospitality can YOU
perform to your friends who call upon
you, than TO place before them plate of
luscious pears or plums or grapes, OF
even of our excellent dessert apples, Of
which we have many kinds But with
pears, grapes. &c, have had but little
or no experience, and cannot speak UNI
derstandingly, therefore | will let them
pass, and confne myself TO the apple,
which / believe to be the fruit that a far
mer should raise in this latitude
Were about to commence orcharding
anew, with my present experience and
observation, | should practice upon two
distinct and quite different methods Of
cultivation, which should designate rs
the artificial and natural methods The
artificial method will describe first, and
it would be done somewhat after this
manner The best piece Of land on the
farm would be taken in hand and manured
rs for planting corn, two or three years
in succession Then plan, out some New
York or other nursery trees, budded or
grated in the nursery. II the forcing
system had been used upon them, so much
the better. After this, cultivate the ground
every year, and plant and sow with the
least exhausling crops, anil lie sure and
keep up the fertility Of the soil by annual
dressing; prune all that would be nec-
essary to give the tree = good shaped
head, and in an almost incredibly short
time you would have an abundance OF
nice apples.
The natural method would be perform.
ed about after this manner. would Sc.
lect a piece OF ground in sheltered To-
cation, on the southcrly and westerly side
of wood. would prefer lot cover
ed in summer with a growth Of what is
sometimes called hog brakes. Upon this
in the Fall would scatter an abundance
Of pommel from n cider mill. This
would be allowed to germinate and
grow for one or two years, then thin out,
and leave the handSomest and thriftiest
plants about two feet apart. No cultiva.
ton would be allowed, but to NOW Oft.
the brakes above the young pips if they
shaded them too much. They should be
pruned 50 as to keep them straight
when large enough to transplant, would
select piece of loamy, rocky soil, which
had never known plow-plant them out
among the rocks, mulch them well, and
let them grow till large enough to graft,
which would choose should be from two
to three inches in diameter at the ground.
Graft two or three OF the principal branch.
es, and then make Il top to suit yourself.
During this time | should pasture 0c-
casionally with sheep or calves. which
would not injurc the trees. In about
eighteen or twenty years | would have
an orchard of hardy and healthy trees,
coming into bearing, and destined to last
three or four generations.
BY the first method | would have nice
and beautiful fruit for twelve or fifteen
years, if kept the soil in a high state of
cultivation, and no chils and fever or
other disease appeared among them.
A few words as to the selection of fruit
for grating, and the time and manner of
pruning, and | will close. Many young
farmers are quite liable to run into too
many varieties of fruit. a great many
kinds of worthless fruit are quite popular
in community. For winter fruits--three
or four kinds are enough, and for summer