Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-04-04


win, Golden Russet, Greening and Spy.
Agrees with others that we plant too many
kinds !; has fifty varieties in his orchard, and
could the number be reduced to three or four
he would be $1,000 better off,
Mr.. Tracey Say $4,000.
paper devoted to the principles OF prun.
lug, was read by g. q. Pringle, Of Charlotte,
corresponding secretary. The writer, assum-
ing that the aims Of nature are benevolent,
and her methods to accomplish these wise,
argued that the part of man is only to assist
her a little IN the achievement of good results,
rather than to attempt to make her conform to
arbitrary notions Of his own. lie recommend
ed pruning in early spring, before the full
aow Of sap, that is during the last half of
March, and urged anticipating, as much as
possible, the use Of the saw, by an early and
frequent use of the knife.
Mr. White said he had never been able to
manage tree entirely by summer pinching
anu thc use vi tne hnlle. lueIe IL ulneT-
ence in varieties. There is the Greening,
its limbs in few years will begin to lop !;
we have got to take of the lower limbs. On
leaning trees, too, we must use the saw. 1t is
difficult TO prune the Baldwin. We may cut
large lower or side branches with compara-
tive safety, but we are almost certain, il we
cut leading shoots, to get dead spots. He
wants to know the kind of tree before be-
ginning to prune.
Mr.. Miller disapproved Of cutting off many
large limbs the same year. He prunes in
March because he thinks there is then the
least danger from bleeding. Has no trouble
from wounds failing to heal over quickly.
All agreed upon the Importance of cover.
ing large wounds with wax. Mr.. Pringle
recommended Il soft wax made OF one part
beeswax three parts tallow, and three parts
rosn, TO be applied hot with a swab Mr..
Chapman the following, as more adhesive,
three and one-haf parts rosin, and one
part each OF talow, beeswax aud turpentine
Mr. White used pitch instead Of rosin.
The question whether we may plant crab.
apples for profit, coming up before the meet.
ing, the business Of peddling these varieties
through this valley was denounced as hum
bug and handled without mercy, many anus
ing stories being told at the expense Of the
agents, peculiar, it would seem, for ways
that are dark aud tricks that are vain" The
only profit which could be anticipated from
crab-appes, 1t was Judged, was to come from
making them into drinking cider, which was
three tunes as good as common cider.
MIR. White in introducing the subject Of
insect enemies, asserted that borers are on
the increase. Ten years ago there were none
on his place. Now, wherever we go, yellow
leaved trees attest their presence. Yet he
doubted whether one man in ten in Chitten.
den County knew the insect.
Mr. Degree thought perhaps half the peo.
pie knew it. He observed that it was chiefly
dangerous because it worked like thief III
the night.
MIR. Taylor, in giving an interesting account
OF the history and habits Of this insect, stated
that it was indigenous on the mountain ash
| That it sometimes attacks the thorn apple
but that the wood was too hard for it. II
travels slowly. The mother insect lays hel
eggs in June, five or teu about the base oi
the tree. They hatch Immediately, and the
presence OF the larve is first betrayed by q
brown spot ON the surface Of the bark Thn
may at first be scraped off with the thumt
nail +; as they become large and feed on the
alburnum, five or six will kill a tree. The
mature beetle, after it emerges from the tree
W. uot 50 laI to i4y It's usss II II eau hnd
suitable place near by. Many washes hav,
been tried against the borer, but the only
way is to persevere in cutting it out,
Mr.. Chapman recommended steel strip,
from old hoop-skirts as superior to wire al
probes Tor borers. lie declared eternal vigi.
lance to be the price ol success in orcharding
and commended the enterprise of Mr. Hem.
menway, OF Bridport, on whom the boreri
will not be likely to steal a march, though
he has over 1000 trees, because he makes a
business of attending to his orchard.
Mr., Post had used tarred paper to protect
his trees against mice, and had left it on dur
ing the summer to keep Oft borers. Found
the bark under the paper to appear tender
Asked whether it would be safe to remove i
altogether
Mr.. Miller had but two instances of borer
in two hundred trees protected by this paper
Had lately taken it off the trees from fear o
injuTing them.
Mr.. White thought if any one should de
pend entirely upon tarred paper to exclud,
borers he would come to griei. Frequen
examination is necessary
Mr., Post had the pluIn.trees OF his gardeI
infested with borers, his attention being call
ed to the fact by gum oozing out in the vicin
ity Of the roots. lie inquired il it was thu
sane insect as the apple borer.
Mr.. Taylor had known plums injured b.
borers, but thought the insect distinct iron
the species that attacks the apple 1t seem
to work deeper downward. The wood-peck
er is the only enemy of the boror, The in
stinct of the insect teaches it to leave a vacan
space below it. While the wood-pecker i
opening hole against its body it drops lowe
down so that we often see two or three hole
made by the bird, one above the other, be
fore he gets his prey.
Mr. Miller had learned to regard the wood
| 4 l.. a.