Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-06-20

shortening, cutting from the under side. Sc
lect three or four shoots to form the Frame
work Of the head, cut them back one-third
their length, and cut the other shoots out
clean set but little deeper than the tree
grew 10 the nursery, in good sized holes, and
enrich with rotten manure. Unfermented
manure should not touch the roots, but may
be put upon the top of the ground as a mulch
with the best results.
The transplanting may be done in the fall
Immediately after the fall of the leaves, or
in spring, as soon as the ground will work
freely and with about equal certainty Of sue
cess. If the trees are taken up carefully
and the work done properly, not one in fifty
should fail. Thirty feet apart is good dis
tance for trees in an orchard.
Many pomologists recommend plowing aud
subsOiling orchards, and keeping them in
hoed crops, especially while the trees are
young. This is no doubt the best way to
promote the rapid growth and early produce
tiveness of the trees, but good orchards are
grown upon stony upland, not suited to the
pillow or a hOed crop. Houcstus Stearns,
Esq, Of Reading, has an orchard on such
land. The trees grow thriftily and produce
an abundance Of fine fruit; it is one of the
finest orchards in Windsor County. Mr..
I
Stearns mulches his trees with leaves from
the forest, straw, coarse manure, muck, &C.,
and prunes moderately. Indeed it is an
open question whether it is better, on the
whole, to pillow an orchard well established,
or to keep it in grass, and enrich the land by
mulching and top-dressing.
The fall of the year is the proper time to
apply top-drcssing to an orchard. Young
trees will be greatly benefited by placing
one-hnlf bushel 10 ,bushel Of fine manure
around them late in the fall. Raise it in the
form Of a cone around their stems. 1t will
prevent the mice gnawing them during the
winter. 1t should be spread around in ear
ly spring. Swamp muck, with ashes, either
leached or unleachcd, makes a good sub.
stance for this purpose.
Wash the bodies in strong soap sudS or
weak lye; one pound Of potash dissolved in
gallon Of water makes good wash, or, bet
ter still, take sal-soda, and heat it in kettle
till near red heat to expel the water Of crys.
talzation; then dissolve it in one gallon OF
water to tho pound before heating apply it
with swab. This wash was highly recon
mended by Prof. Mapes. 1t kills all wood
or bark lice and gives to the body Of the
tree beautiful green and fresh appearance
as If it had been vanished.
| Framing.
II the trees have been carefully watched
while young, and their heads we'll balanced
little pruning will be necessary, except to
take out limbs that cross or too much fill UP
the middle, and take off all sprouts and suck,
ers. 1t is better to avoid cutting large limbs
When the trees have been neglected, and We
find it necessary to cut them, thesc should
be covered with gum shelac dissolved in al
cohol. theoretically, trees should be pruned
after the fall Of the leaf, in the fall or winter
while the tree is in state of rest This is a
convenient season to attend to it, and with
most varieties answers very well. My e1pe'
riencc favors the last Of June and into July
as the best season. The wounds heal soon
est then, and never bleed. April or May
when the sap is thin and active, is the worst
possible time. Some varieties will be nearly
ruinsd by pruning at that time. The Bald
win is greatly injured by cutting scions from
it in spring. The work should be done neat
ly. Cut the limbs close, so no sprouts will
start, and the wounds heal more readily
Shoots should be cut slanting to bud, moi
halfway between two buds
Selection.
In selecting trees for an orchard, tn,
most difficult, as we'll as the most importan
question to settle is, What kinds shall W,
plant2 Upon the proper solution Of this ques
tion the profits of the orchard will, in grea
measure, depend. The amateur is governed
mostly by quality, with little regard to cos
or profit. But the general cultivator seeks
for those kinds that are good in their season
hardy, Of vigorous growth, productive ant
salable.
Tho most common mistake is in setting tot
many kinds. There are few varieties suit
ed to each locality worth all the rest Taste
and opinions differ, and in making list fol
any locality, no two persons would be likely
to wish them precisely alike. Many kinds,
excellent in some respects, are not prof tabl,
to cultivate.
summer Apples.
The Early Harvest described by Downing
known here in Windsor County as the Sum
mer Harvey, is the most profitable early ap
pie for us to raise. 1t succeeds well in al
most all soils and situations. The tree come
into bearing very young is moderate grow
er but quite hardy and bears large crops o
fair fruit, excellent for the dessert or th'
kitchen.
The Early Harvest Of Cole and Elliot
known here as Yellow Harvest or German