Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-01-17

will succeed almost anywhere on these islands.
His soil near the highway was for the most
part wet, and in many places the slate rock
comes within few inches Of the surface
But on this soil he decided to build, and TO
plant his grounds and orchards. Little by
little he has drained and deepened the soil
about his house, till now it is all fitted for
trees, and is planted to every kind Of fruit
His situation is on the northwestern shore Of
the principal island, looking off upon the
broad and level track where join the valleys
Of Lake Champlain and the st. Lawrence
and is fully exposed to the severe winds from
that quarter. So he has planted wind-breaks
Of drbor gitoe, the largest Of which must be
thirty feet high and twenty broad at the base
These present dense barrier to the wind,
and secure in good degree still and mild
atmosphere in his grounds Here my friend
has for many years been testing a great va.
riety Of every sort of fruit, and his experi-
ence must be of great value to the fruit
growers of our valley.
Cumberland Head,
This peninsula lies opposite the place |
have just described and ACROSS the main
channel of the lake, two and half miles
wide. West of it lies Plattsburgh Bay, and
the town is three miles distant. Its extent
is some two and half miles in length by
one mile in breadth. The fruit is similar to
that Of the islands and on the New York
side Of the lake the "Head" is noted place
for orchards. Crossing over it on my way
to Plattsburgh, though | saw some very
thrifty orchards Of limited extent, it did not
appear that more was being done here in this
business than on the islands.
At PIattsburgh
called as usual on my good friend, VIM.
II. Bailey, Esq, nurseryman and florist.
The Bailey grounds, in the suburbs Of the
town, are extensive, aud contain full col
lectons of apples, pears, grapes, etc. In
the vicinity of Plattsburgh, and southwark
near the shore, considerable attention has
been bestowed upon fruit, but back from the
lake the country is new.
Apropos of what have written of the
quality Of the fruit Of our valley, Mr.. Bailey
informs me that he last fall took the first
prize on apples at the Fair of the American
institute in New York. Somewhat larger
collections from VIM. S. Carpenter of West
chester Co., from Ellwanger 4 Barry, Roch-
ester, from Kansas and many other Western
States contested the prize; but the commit
tee awarded it with due regard to the intrin-
sic quality of fruit, taking into account par.
tieularly the specific gravity of Mr. Bailey
fruit, understood This exhibition of
fruits was the largest the Institute ever had.
This success of my friend is not accidental
nor exceptional, for his father, j. W. Bailey,
Esq, has many times within the past twen-
ty-ive years exhibited, at the same place,
fruit from the same grounds, and, when do
/ Ing SO, mas newer lalleu 10 receive lne HTSt
premium.
Conclusion.
have undertaken in these papers only
briefly to set forth The most prominent points
of my subject. Many orchards all through
our valley, quite worthy of notice, | have
not been able to name. What | have writ
ten may convey some idea of the Importance
of this interest, and of the promise which
our soil and climate hold out to those who
engage in the business in wise manner
hope it may also suggest to our scattered
orchardists the advantages of association,
wherein the facts which each observing cul-
tivator has obtained in the seclusion of his
farm may be available to all, which may give
intelligent aim to our efforts in fruit it-growing
and open for us market worthy of our
products, which individual attempts would
not provide.