St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-07-12
farm. Garden and Jnusrhnld.
A Successful Orchardist.

owen DOncg:lll, ESu.. OF roy. NtlItN
seven wears ago he SOWed the seed.
The small trees were grated or budded
with hardy varieties. Some of them
were tiansplantcd several times before
they were set in the orchard. each time
irving them more room until they We're
ten wears old, when they were set in the
. orchard at the distance of 2G 10y - feet
apart. at which distance Mr.. Donegan
expects their branches to meet in TWEEN
tl Years. He prefers to transplant sev
cl;tl times, as ii causes more small roots
near the tree, and Il tree properly raised
can he tr;Insplanted when il L. AN inch
or il little more in diameter as safely a>
at smaller size.
In setting ont Il tree he digs Il wide
hole with il hoe (using no spade) about
eight inches deep. He cuts of the tap
root of the tlce every time. and places
the side roots out horizontally, fills i'll
among them some fine surface soil, and
hoes some earth over them. Then he
puts three large stones around the base
!, of the tree. These stones settle the
earth around the roots and keep the
soil more moist and warm. and keep
} the tree i'll place. so that no stake Is
needed To steady il in the wind. When
the ground is hoed the stones are re-
moved, but are replaced again when
the hoeing is finished.
There are about five hundred trees III
. this orchard that bear fruit. and many
+ small ones. and the intention is to sci
out two hundred each year until the
whole number is twelve hundred. Then
Il few spare trees will he kept to fill the
places of those that die.
In pruning, Mr.. Donegau cuts down
half the Years growth in the centre OF
the top. and those cross branches that
will he likely to touch each other III
their growth The side branches are
allowed To extend themselves aS far a.
they please. When loaded with fruit
they bend down. almost or quite touch
ing the ground. This facilitates the
picking. which is done 10y hand. 1t is
not easy to hire help that will exercise
proper care i'll handling apples. there
fore Mrs. Dontgan is much depended
upon. She told me she worked six
weeks in the fall of 1871, picking APP
piles. Early III September they com
menced picking the Bon Sweet. Il beau
tif'ul. luscious apple of large size and =,
tender that unless they were grasped
10y the whole hand in picking the prints
of the fingers would soon be seen on lis
delicate surface us Il brlIise.
All the apples must be as carefully
handled rs eggs. They are laid in Il
basket. then picked from the basket
and laid into the barrel. which is care
fully filled 50 full that when the head is
put in the apples must he. pressed down
an inch or 50. This keeps them from
moving and hrui>ing in transportation.
Mr.. Donegan values his reputation
highly. and insists that none but perfect
apples he PM into the barrels. Early
one morning. While in haste to head NJ
his full barrels t" take to Newport. he
saw tw" inferior apples on the top OF
} one barrel. and nothing would satisfy
him hut the removal of all the apples
to assure himself that his help had not
carrle>>lN put i'll imperfect fruit, but he
found every one perfect except tho>t
| two.
} This wear the Bon Sweet were sold al
five dollars barrel. and his other va
rieticS at six. These varieties are tn,
Brown Sweet. FameuSe. Blue Pearmain
+ Northern spy. Jewett's Red. Tor Nod
head.l and yellow Bell. He has also Il
few of other kinds.
His abundant crop brought him thi,
year $500, and he experienced no diff
Guilty III dispensing of all he could spare
/ and. indeed. was 50 importuned that hi,
reserved supply for home consumption
is less than he desires. Two Years ag'
the product of his orchard sold fol
Sti5u.UO, and for several Years the clol
| has been abundant.
: Three Years ago Il part of his orchard
. was Injured 10y mice. He said, 81
would not have had it done for Il thous
and dollars" | said, You seem to val
| ne Your orchard" He answered. 81
= would not take four thousand dollar,
for it, if il man offered me the money
to-day. 1t pays me the interest %
- 900. Mrs. Domegan said, "Somt
folks think We are getting money very
easily, but they don't remember that
for Inc first twelve Years it WAS all care
and work with no pay. If ! missed Mr.
Donegan any time between sunset ant
nine o'clock ut night, was sure TO FIND
him III the orchard.
= The bark lice have been an injury t,
/, some trees. To destroy them Il wasl
was made of water in which potatoe.
had been boiled: and lime and soap
making both Il whitewash and soal
l suds. This WAS applied after scrapine
the trees, spring and fall.
The method of cultivation placticed
here was to manure and cultivate the
I ground for two or three Years. while
the trees were small. then seed to grass
and NOW four years. then pillow and til
= Nv" Years, raising potatoes for Il tirs
crop and wheat or oats for the second
81, 4
Years again. The result is that ne gets
the most fruit the first year he plowS
= and the best growth in the tree the ycal
: after it is seeded to grass.
The sap suckers or woodpeckers have
been IN injury to the Blue Pearmail
trees whose tender bark is easily pierced
: and seems to suit them. More than
t twenty birds have been shot the past
\ wear. The wounds from fine shot ar,
not 81 much dreaded as the work of tn,
bird.
The land is on hill of moderate
hight; the inclination is in part towar,
| the south and III part to the northeast
, hut Mr.. Domegan would prefer IL north
west slant. 81 that the sun would no
start the growth of the trees too earl,
t i'll the spring. The soil Judged for
t merly supported il hard wood growtl
t of maple. beech and birch. ! am toll,
that Il ledge underles the orchard at
depth of about two ttet.-/. f. lame
. son.
NEW ENGLAND'> GRAIN PRoDUCT.-
4, OF the six states east of the Hudson
Vermont comes nearest to raising it
own bread. producing 10, 900 bulshel
e of wheat in 1869, OF about Il bushel an,