Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-10-03
In CALAMITY leading his columns against

/
aud practice OF law; and he determined
to turn his attention TO agriculture. He
had closely watched agricultural opera
tons in his county and had found that
orcharding was the most profitable de
paltment. He rushed not blindly, rs into
some uncertain speculation, but went in
with both eyes wide open.
His first idea was to procure suitable
land for fruit trees; next. to procure
suitable trees, and then to give them
suitable cultivation. He purchased lot
Of land westerly from Pennington Hill,
across the river. Here he planted q
thousand trees. The soil is good for
trees, being strongly impregnated with
iron. The ledge alongside is what may
be termed copperas rock. The west end
Of his orchard has been plowed, and APP
pie trees cannot successfully follow the
plowshare without the application Of veg
etablc matter and perhaps animal ma
nure. The Maj, profiting from this idea
has mulched the plowed part with long
manure. and put vegetable mulch on top.
On the part not plowed he has only ap.
piled vegetable.
He set New York trees on one side
and native on the other. not engrat;ed. -
He is now ENGRAVING the natives. The
New York trees are the better. He uses
the grass, &c. that grows in the orchard
as mulch. He thinks it not best 10 re-
quire land TO bear too many crops. A
man objected To us a few days ago, that
il he mulChed his trees he should get no
hav about them Poor mani In his hot
haste to get rich he will ever be poor
Who attempts to cheat mother earth must
expect 10 be cheated in return.
The Major has applied birch bark 10
the trunk Of his trees to prevent the dep
relation OF the mice. The bark is plant.
ed in the ground and extends up the
trunk some fifteen inches. He can buy
the bark for some % cents a roll. OF the
bows. This bark will expand rs the tree
grows and viii last forever.
We asked him if the borers had troubled
his trees. lie replied, Il have discovered
no damage from them and took up the
bark on tree to prove that this was the
case. We asked him if he expected to
find borers under the bark We told him
that the borer was sly rascal, and al.
ways attacked at the ground, under the
grass-that he never attacked the tree
up in the open air. His bark had pre-
vented borers as well rs mice.
Now, farmers, what 4 lesson is here. -
One-hall cent 10 4 tree will save it from
destructive mice, and that arch enemy to
orcharding, the borer. vet you will work
hours, perhaps. on tree, and, probably
lose it in the end This idea is worth TO
YOU the price OF the paper FOR a year,
yea for years ii you are growing young
trees. VIII you profit by it We do not
design to interview orchardists, or any
body else, unless we can draw out some
profitable ideas Here Is enc.
The Major has applied the waste OF
iron shops--turnings, filings, scales, stub
nails, parings of hoois, &c. This is a
large idea; il each man could have the
waste OF an iron shop. \ number OF
years ago we applied tons of iron turn
ings and filings from Whitman's iron
shop The advantage Was so great that
We dale tell no one for fear of losing the
chance. But we are getting old, and we
will not die with an orchard secret in US.
So now the secret is out, and You will
please use all the tailings OF blacksmlths
and iron shops How about Stenos and
DR.. Harris, of Auburn-will they go TO
the iron shops in Lewiston rs soon as the
new bridge is completed? Who gets
there first is lucky.
The Major says extend your mulch
from the tree SO as to Kill the sward TO
the extent OF the limbs So say We. and
all good oichardists. His trees arc heal
thy and thrifty II his faith holds-hiS
purse will-he will one day shove 1000
bushels per year into Pennington depot,
from this orchard.
But he has other orchards He showed
us one of some $50 trees. A part were
new-set trees, but he had not forgot the
mulch and the birch bark. The older
part of this is about one. halt New York
trees which bear bountitully. The Ma.
jor's experience is that New York trees
are as good rs any. These trees have
been set Il years and are u inches in
girl. If the Major prose cutes orcharding
as he has begun, he will not die poor
man. if the banks fail him.
We had pleasant interview with
Chas. j. Talbot, Wilton, Collector of In
ternal Revenue, and very intimate in
production to one of his lady's dinners. He
has 175 apple trees in most beautiful con-
dition. They are natives and engraited
in the top. He prefers this method to
ENGRAVING in the nursery. He has mulch
ed with barn and chip manure. and thinks
mulch is indispensable. He recommends
Hubbatdson'S Nonsuch, X. |. Greetings,
Dean or . OF. apple-very celebrated in
this regiou-and the Harvey lor domes-
tic purposes He says sawdust as a
mulch, is IL non-conductor Of heat and
cold, and is good for dry lands.
NJ, Tnll,nt hns n hnnn firm of 100