Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-04-23
=. 10
Farm ann bonsrboIn.
CmrRRYrIr1p. Anrll Il. 1s-4.


CHERRYrIELD. April Il. 1874
70 The Editor ofthe American -
have received letters from various
quarters requesting Information in regard
10 transplanting fruit trees &c. inquiries
prompted probably by the advertisement
in your paper. TO distribute gratis lot OF
fruit trees in Washington and Hancock
Counties. A the matter j. of general
interest TO a portion Of the community.
VII reply 10y your leave. throngh .ite
columns of your paper. some write that
they have ordered >cions t. graft upon
these trees. II i not cor -ldered safe TO
glati upon fruit trees the same season they
are tran splanied. Thsy should be allowed
~ least a years gror ia 20 recover from the
effects OF their .ioYal.
II is imr-.tani that the ground where
ffur ves are 10 be planted should be well
prepared to receive them. II should be
made mellow by previous blowing and
cultivation. Ground that has been worked
over for several year, with ''hoed crops''
aud thoroughly drained is generally in
good condition for fruit trees There are
a great variety of NATURES used for fruit
trees, many OF which are not ALWAYS ac-
ceSslole. but you cannot use anything much
better than old stable manure cOmposted
with good loan, or well pulverized muck
which has felt the action of the frost for at
least one Winter after it has been exposed
10 the air. On our coast will be fnuud
large quantities Of muck in Old marshd kes
winch l. ready for use at any time. and i. |
TANK superior 10 any other-posSe,sing
icriHznS properties which muck not
washed by the sea does not have. Ashes
aud lime are good mixed with our soil.
especially Tor apple trees. 10 be added to
the above. bu' mol TO supersede them.
NO one can expect 10 be successful with
iis trees by simply digging hole in sod.
bound land. or baked and hardened earth.
and sticking the tree in a. YOU would sci a
post IN the ground. The roots of the tree
should NOT be placed upon the hard pan. -
or the hole Tor il dug below the surface
sou il Tie sub-soll is clay. for then the
water wall not drain of readily. which will
Ice fatal 10 the health of the tree. Having
prepared the soil and dug the hole TO re-
ce!'e the tree. there should be thrown into
the bottom Of the hole a few inches of the
compost. Alter the bed is thus prepared
Tor the tree ~ rest mot To slumber I'M and
IL muilated roots severed with a sharp
knife. great care should be taken when
seNiug the tree, 10 separate the iibrous
roots win the fingers and extend them
from the stem TO their whole length like
r
slices with line dirt 50 that there shall be
10 hoilows under or among the roots. 1t
i good plan generally TO shorten in the
branches 10 correspond with the loss of the
roots. The dirt should then be thrown
upon the roots until the hole l. filed with
The earth aud dressing. so that when il
oetIcs the tree VIII be left in the ground
about the depth il stood in the nursery.
Green or strong dressing OF any kind
should not be allowed 10 touch the roots
OF the tree. After the tree is planted
many think all they have to do i, to look
on aud watch il year after year increase in
>.ze- put forth new branches and leaves
aHt ID due time unfold its buds aud bios
SONS. and pluck its fruit without any aid
IRON them. This j, mistake No farmer
expects 10 raise good crop of grain.
potatoes. or any farm or garden crop with
out cultivation. Why should he believe
That he could have good crop of fine
luscious frui. without care aud labor. In
order To insure the healthy growth Of fruit
trees they must be cared tor, watched. fed
aud Hursed. until they obtain their majority
Wien perhaps they will be better able TO
tAAe care OF themselves. if they have been
properly trained In their yoath-that i
reared in good well cultivated soil worked
over and dressed each year as Won wand
Tor other crOps-wc must not exDect ANY,
thing good without toll aud trouble of
some Kind. but 4 suitable crops are Guilt
waited III your orchards. YOU save the
greater part OF the expense of raising YOUR
tees. Tor they steal food enough in the
operation 10 support themselves
Some persons with whom | am una.-
quainted seem 10 look with strong suspicion
upon my offer TO give the fruit trees adj
vertised. They do not understand" and
express wonder why | should do so. 10
such say there Is 40 trick about IL mo
cat under the meal IL is not To he fol-
lowed oy an advertisement Offering some
commodity Tor sale necessary TO preserve
The lie OF the trees, for | have none. No
political or other Office is expected or de-
sired-not even the postage stamp is AN
indueement tor that will be returned on
the reply Those who take them need not
ieei under the slightest obligation TO me.
The favor IS on the other side. No credit
is claimed for the offer Having a larger
lot of fruit trees than | can manage. |
would be glad to scatter the Wild Crab
Apple stock through the two Counties for
an experiment if for no other reason, SO
far as they Will 90. The other trees are OF
10 special value for our region that | am
aware OF, but are thrown in. The apple
trees however / have great faith in. They
are very hardy and believed to be better
10 graft good fruit upon than any other
stock. Let no one. be deceived in regard
TO their character. They are not the
Siberian Grab which is valuable for its
fruit. There, natural fruit is not worth
raising, unless for cider. They were i'm
ported from Europe because they were
represented TO be harder and OF longer
life than the Siberian Crab. and harder
than trees grown from our common apple
seed. They are raised simply to graf. np-
on as you would graft upon any Seeding
trees. They are now from to 5 #. high.
If they prove a failure you will share with
me the disappointment.
We labor under disadvantages in these
two Counties in growing good apples.
which do not exist in the western or mid
die portion of our State, and it is very i'm
portant that we should find good stock
upon which to graft the finer kinds OF
apples, or some hardy kind of good Winter
apples which will successfully resist the
various changes of, and are adapted to oar
peculiar climate. If any one has any
delicacy about receiving these trees. let
them pay their worth in little extra labor
upon those they receive, and in 5 or 6 wears
inform me what success they met with.
and what kinds Of apples they grated up
on them. Very respectfully,
w. FREEMAN. JR