The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-05-06
agricultural department.
CONDUCTED BY ALBERT CHAPMAN.


burne, March IA Inc Lumber oil ofch-
ardists present was rot large, but, us all
participated freely ia the lively discus
sions which occupied II great part OF the
session, the occasion was very interest
ing and satisfactory one.
Dr.. A. d, Taggart presided over the
meeting, and much Of its success was due
TO his skill in drawing ont from individ.
uals the practical knowledge each pos.
sessed, relative to the subjects under dis
cussion.
Robert j, White, Of the Shelburne
Point Nursery. and secretary OF the socl-
ETY., read u pape: rcplete with sound.
praclical instruction, such as only per-
son of Mr.. Whites extended experience
in growing trees. and in planting and car.
ing for orchards, and an intimate ac-
1uaintance with the business of fruit.
growing in his own vicinity is prepared
to give.
Leo Tracy, Esq, one Of the largest
orchardists of Shelburnc Point. fully en-.
dorsed the recommendations of Whites
paper, except the distance for setting APP
pie trees therein mentioned. Instead Of
twenty-five feet he would, from his ex.
perience, prefer two rods apart each way
N. r. Miller, Esq, a large orchardst
of the same vicinity, also favored u dis
lance Of two rods lie has an orchard at
twenty-five feet, and now, at twenty years
of age, the limbs already ntertwine, Has
shortened in the limbs, but can't manage
the trees, and don't know what TO do with
them.
Mr.. Degree, OF Ilnesburgh, was inter-
csted in this question of distance His
trees wero only sixteen feet apart. Ought
he to remove every other one? Advised
by Mr.. Tracey and others to wait until
they began to crowd, as they might bear
considerably before that time.
G. G.. Pringle thought the diversity of
opinion respecting the proper distance to
plant fruit trees capable of explanation.
Some varieties from slower or more up
right habit Of growth require less dis
lance than others Twenty-Five feet is
ample room for Early Joe, Tetofsky and
many others. Again, on dry or thin soil
of only moderate fertility, this distance
will do very we'll for all kinds of apples.
The greatest profit was to be obtained by
quite close planting, so as TO have the
whole ground producing fruit at an early
day. After twelve to twenty years the
excess of trees should gradually be re-
moved. On wind-swept ridges there was
another advantage from this course, the
mutual protection the more closely plant
ed young trees afford each other. But
none should venture upon this method
who lack courage to dig up thrifty and
productive tree for the sake of giving its
fellows more room,
Mr.. White contended against the fire.
quent advice to dig large holes, that deep
working Of the whole surface of the field
was preferable. Doubted whether the
highest profit results from spending ten
or twelve hundred dollars in fitting an
acre, as DR.. Carpenter, Of Burlington had
done. Would not iosist upon so much
labor and expense in the preparation o.
the soil previous to planting, as it would
discourage most farmers from ever max.
ing beginning in fruit culture. He op.
posed much cutting back of lire trees as
unnecessary.
Mr.. Tracy, in planting his first orch.
ard, cut back too much He left but
few limbs, and those were shortened in
very much.
Mr.. Rand, of Essex, disapproved Of
much cutting back at planting, particu.
larly in the case Of rather large trees, as
liable to make tho trees bach hearted.
AS his experience liz orcharding was gam.
ed on the colder lands north OF the Wi
nooski, he urged the Importance of set.
ting varieties adapted to particular loca-
tions.
Mr.. Chapman, Of Middlebury, thought
large number of varieties, as often or.
dered by beginners, great damage. The
greatest profit would be obtained from O
few kinds, and oc the few most desirable
kinds, which would succeed best in any
particular locality, the experience OIL
fruit growers in the immediate vicinity
would afford the best means of determin.
ing. But soils differ widely, even with
in sections Of limited extent. On trac,
Of light sandy soil near the foot of the
mountain, in Middlebury, the Spitzen
burgh succeeds finely, coloring up vel
end developing its full excellence. Or
different soil no great distance westward
it cannot be grown to satisfaction; bu
again still further on it does well. On
the grounds of Mr.. Ketchum, the we'll
known horticulturist Of Sudbury. WHERE
the situation is rather low, the Baldwin
does not thrive, but on higher and drye
soil, but half mile away, it is reliable
Considers the Baldwin one of our mos
profitable apples wherever it can b,
grown. Mr.. Chapman advocated settin,
trees, when level or rather low ground i
to be used for orchards, without diggin,
any holes. lie would set the roots Oh
the surface and cover them by bringiD,
up dirt around the tree. By blowing
the soil may be thrown up in marrow
ridges, the highest part in the center o
each Of which is occupied by the row o
trees. This method is particularly ap
propriate to clay lands The abundance
Of decaying sod under, around. and abov
the roots furnishes the trees bed i
which they will luxuriate. We all knoN
how well corn does on good sod. Tn
Importance of mulching is evident TO an
one who has eve- used it. Would appl
it Immediately. We should water as Iii
tie as possible, and mulching chiefly oil
viates the necessity Of doing SO. He di
not care whether trees came from Geol
gia or Canada, but they must be ripene
up well. Trees grown on mucky sol
even it it be in Canada, will not do /
plant here. Thinks much of the ill-suC
cess had with trees from Rochester an
Syracuse might have been owing to thei
having been grown on low land, Has oil