The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-02-27
AGRICULTURAL department.
CONDUCTED BY ALBERT CHAPMAN.
Methods and Aims of Fruit Growing in
the ChampIain Valley.

slOOu sturul anu nalc upon our nil .SlucS, OF
from wide spreading branches showcred
their luscious bountes, rudy and golden
about the door-stones of our old home.
steads, now in middle life and those prim.
tive orchards falling in swift decay. AS
we find that we must replant our orchards
if we would continue to grow fruit scarce
one in ten is to be found among the far
mers of our valley, who is not planting
trees, or who, stimulated by the example
of his neighbors, does not intend TO do so,
as soon as he is able.
But he, who starts anew to-day in the
enterprise of Fruit Culture, meets at ev-
cry step Of his progress, difficulties which
he did not anticipate, and encounters fail
ures which will drive him from the field,
Tor at least, rob him of the high profits
upon which he had confidently reckoned)
unless he faces them with energy, and
overcomes them by intelligent skill. In
his perplcxity he finds the experience of
his father has left him few rules for
guidance. They set with little care, in
a soil light and rich from forest mold, q
hardy stock of natural fruit Then or
chards were shielded from harmful winds
by the abundant forests then still stand
ing. The numerous insects which now
work mischief with both tree and fruit,
were then almost unknown. Consequent
ly, whether they cultivated their orchards
in hoed crops or cereals, or even left the
soil in moving or pasturage, it was much
the same they looked at harvest time
to see their trees loaded down with fruit.
They gathered a store that had cost them
little care or labor.
But now the conditions affecting Fruit
Culture are greatly changed. The veg
etable matter, then so abundant in the
soil, is now exhausted and the latter
has become compact and stubborn. The
humidity, so favorable to vegetable life,
which then prevailed in the soil and in
the atmosphere, has given place to long
summer droughts, whose severity often
torbids tho full development of our crops.
The thin and scattering woodlands no
longer restrain the fury Of tho winds,
which intensity upon the exposed trees
the severity Of winters frosts, which play
rudely with the blossoms of spring.timc,
interfering with tho fruitful offices of
stamen and pistil, and which shake from
the bending trees in autumn half their
load of fruit before it is fully maturcd.
And with respect to our insect enemies,
so destructive has the berer become, that,
unless followed up with untiriug patience
it endangcrs in most places, the life Of
the whole orchard And besides the
borer, from the time the curculio sets his
mark of proprietorship upon the young
fruit, when it is no larger than spar
rows egg, until it is ready for gathering
in the fall, there arrive in the tree, TO
prey upon its leaf or twig or fruit, con-
slant succession of reinforcements,-n
an old foe to be fought with well approx.
ed weapons, and again new one, whose
habits must be studied, and whose weak
est point discovered.
am induced to venture a few sug-
gestions, drawn from the experience Of
the best cultivators Of the present day,
which, it is believed, will o5viate in
good measure these embarrassments, which
face the new orchardist, and will point
out some Of the best methods Of culture.
wish, also, to propose few special
aims for Fruit Growing in this Cham
plain Valley, whereby the highest returns
may be secured.
The fruit interest of our valley bids
fair to rival in Importance even the dairy
interest, now so prominent. The large
area already devoted to orchards, (espe-
cially in the immediate vicinity of the
lake. and the large returns made by those
which have now come into bearing, sug-
gest prosperous future for our farmers.
Though situated on the northern limits
of "bleak New England" the valley OF
Lake Champlain lies low and warm with.
in its mountain walls. Secluded from
the cold winds Of the north eastern coast,
and open on the south, through the val.
ley Of the Hudson, TO the genial infuen-
ces OF the Gulf Stream it enjoys through
the four summer months a climate but
little inferior in its adaptation to fruit
growing, to that of Central New York.
True, its area is limited, and in winter,
after the lake closes over, it cannot es.
cape the rigorous frosts that belong to its
latitude: yet the harder fruits may be
grown here TO such amount and of such
peculiar excellence az to ensure the val
ley tair fame among the fruit growing
regions Of the Union.
Fruit growing, as a speciality in our
husbandry, commends itself to the atten.
ton Of our agriculturists, at the present
time, in an especial manner. The cheap
productions Of the fat soils Of the great
west, and the comparative exhaustion of
our own lands compel complete remod.
cling of our agricultural system. Many
crops we can no longer afford to grow,
while there are certain specialities, lying
within the scope of intensive farming,
which can most probably engage our at.
tention.
Fruit-growing is one of these, requir-
ing considerable labor aud yielding large
returns in comparison with the area Of
land and the amount of manure elm.
ployed. And fruit-growing possesses the
sH"i "u' ohtaSe, tuat ~ uaJ pe var
lied on harmoniously in connection with
dairy farming or the rearing of blooded
sock.
But the inquiry may be raised. Is not
our fruit interest also in danger from
western competition? And the question
would seem to be answered affirmatively
by the fact that Michigan apples only
last fall were brought into our State and
sold at prices which caused our growers
and dealers heavy losses. But then, an
other significant fact remains to be told.
Those same Michigan apples in this month
OF January are melting down in mass
OF rot, while our home grown fruit ma
tured through our cooler autumn, opens
as fair and sound as when put up. This
fact piyes our fruit an ADVANTAGE which