Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-01-03

goOd price was realized very early the pres
ent season but respecting the proftabenqss
Of early fruit in this section the owner has
some misgivings; and hundred and fifty
trees of Red Astrachan in another place,
which as yet fail to yield the most satisfac-
tory fruit, he is discussing the propriety of
grating over to some winter sort, and is
most inclined to favor the Jonathan, with
which he has not yet supplied himself. Here,
also, are eighty trees Of Fameuse planted to
supply the boatmen from Canada, who land
on this shore in tall for supplies of apples,
and who recognize this variety as an old IA
vorite in their market.
Next south of this orchard is an orchard
of some five hundred pear-trees Of numerous
varieties, but chiefly oc Flemish Beauty
( OuOndaga, Bartlett, Seckel, White Doyennc
and Louise BOnne de Jersey. Most of the
sorts are growing vigorously; for the soil is
a strong, clayey loan, deep and mostly well
drained naturally. remember visiting here
a few years ago, just after crop of forty
bushels Of wheat to the acre had been taken
from this field. But in truth the soil of this
field hardly constitutes an exception in char
acter and quality to that of the whole hun
dred acres of ridge planted to orchard by
Mr.. Holmes.
Leaving the pear orchard, we pass south
ward along the bank of the lake. under the
belt OF arbor vitae and other trees which
have been left on the edge of the bank as
wind.break. Here we meet with an oppor-
tunity to learn something of the subsoil and
the underlying rocks as the bank falls alb.
ruptly to the water or the gravel of the
beach from forty to fifty feet below the sur
face of the fields. The loan Of the surface
appears some two or three feet deep, and is
underlaid with gravelly formation in which
appear an abundance Of small shells. The
stratum of gravel facilitates drainage, and
the decomposition of the shells must yield Il
full supply of. lime These layers Of soil
rest on u foundation Of slaty rock. and, if
mistake not, the limestone common to this
shore is, also, in some places exposed to view
in the cliffs below.
We turn aside into the largest orchard on
the farm, and it is goodly sight to look
through its straight rows quarter OF a mile
long There is uniformity of the trees
that is very remarkable All are in healthy
state of growth. and are clean and well kept
At the far end the borers have entoIed to
some extent from an old orchard of neigh
Dor, but with this exception, Mr.. Holmes has
had but little trouble from this pest, fact
which may be accounted for by the absence
of old trees ON the place. This orchard is
mainly Of Greetings. In the highest and
dryest part are hundred and fifty Baldwins.
They seem to do as well as any sort; but,
since few trees of this variety near his
house have failed, when about twenty years
old, Mr.. Holmes has been cautious in plant
ing it. The orchards of Shelburn Point,
where the Baldwin has hourished SO profit
ably, are more sheltered from the bitter lake
winds of March, than is this situation. Here
are also some fifty Spitzeub ergh trees, sew
enty.fve OF Roxbury Russct, pnd two hun
dred of Northern Spy.
Continuing along the shore we finally ar.
rive at the iarthest orchard, composed entire
ly of Greetings. These like most of the
trees on the estate were put out, | think in
the spring of 1866. Though so remote, this
orchard gives evidence of much TIE same at
teution as that bestowed ou the trees in the
vicinity of the house. Perhaps .hc land has
been plowcd less often but annual plowing
may occasionally be RENTED with safety,
perhaps with advantage sometimes with such
a soil as this.
On our return we pass through an orchard
of fifteen hundred Greetings lying next east
of the one last mentioned 1t is singular
fact abodt this orchard that it was terribly
scourged last June by the aphis, while all
the others were untouched, and no definite
and certain explanation Of the fact can be
gwen Most Of the trees were covered with
insects The leaves dropped of entirely, or
shrivelled up and turned black. Then the
aphides all seemed to perish, and aiterward
the ends of the limbs pushed out some new
leaves, which will probably prepare the trees
to pass the winter in safety. Mr.. Holmes is
naturally desirous to learn whether he may
expect recurrence of the disaster to this
orchard next year, and we are able to assure
him that it is improbable, since no insects
appear to have survived to lay eggs for an
other season. Entomologists tell us that
these aphides "hatch out in spring from eggs
produced by winged parents ofthe fall before,
The spring brood is composed Of wingless in-
diyiduals all alike and all producing young
like themselves without the intervention of
any males whatever This remarkable form
of multiplication goes on all summer, hut in
autumn new brood OF winged males and fe-
males is produced. This mode of reproduce
ton accounts for tho almost incalculable rap
idity with which they multiply"
This last orchard is also of Greetings and
completes the thirty-seven hundred trees
which Mr.. Holmes has planted of that vari-
ETY. And now we have seen hundred acres
of orchard and five thousand trees in one
body and on one farm in Vermont. To a
man of less energy and physical strength
than Mr.. Holmes possesses, the labor and care,