Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-02-12
Fruit Culture for Profit.
Prepared by Thomas Butterneld, to be read
at the meeting Of the state Hoard OF ARrI-
culture at Springfield, Jan. ~.

NNAN"AN ~ SasAs
We have all been taught that fruit had
very early origin. The Bible speaks of
fruits being placed in the garden of Eden;
these were found soon after the creation of
man, placed there to tempt Adam,-and
could there have been greater temptation
than full grown apple or pearl Surely
we read it overcame bin, and who is able to
tell how many of US would have been able to
resist in like circumstances?
All history points to Asia as great fruit
growing-country in its early days. Vine.
yards were planted out worry extensively
and formed great source OF wealth.
am here to-day, gentlemen, to see if l
cannot say something to stimulate you to
care more for your fruit trees If | can say
any thing that will cause you to study and
care more for your trees, it will be a step in
the right direction. Aud what we need is
to look to our trees at least once year, this
ono may need little digging around to re-
move the turf and grass; that one to re-
move few sprouts around the roots and on
the body; aud if there is not rich soil
enough already around it little rich mulch
applied will act as n stimulus and also as a
protection against the drouth.
II you have never tried salt you will find
this TO be fine thing both to stimulate the
growth and also to kill the insects in the
earth. A pint Of salt spread under tree
many times will more than double the crop
and the fruit will be much larger aud finer
favored.
Salt is given us in great abundance, so it
can be had very cheaply. We only need a
more thorough application of it to see its
good results. l think its application to the
vegetable kingdom is more essential than to
+be animal, for if applied to the vegetable
the animal gets more or less Of it.
A tree at least once a year needs a little
pruning; this is thing very much negec-
ted.
Fruit under right management can be
raised in almost all parts Of Vermont. Who
is there among us that is caring for his fruit
trees as he ought? 1t may not be as sure
a crop as some, but it is great paying crop
for the labor expended; and what is more
beautiful than an orchard in the spring in
full bloom, or in the fall laden with fruit I
Should we not all give this subject a little
more attentiou2 Certainly / believe il
would pay.
Where shall we obtain our trees2 This
gentlemen, forms wide field for our consider
alton. Shall we rely on our native growr
trees, or shall we get foreign trees, and BY
this mean all that are grown on differen
soil from our own. There is great complaint
Of those brought from distance. Ia the
first place those raised and brought from q
distance are raised in the cheapest manner
and got up only for the market. The ole
way Of raising nursery trees was to plant tbs
seed, when two years old transplant into nur
sery rows letting them grow one year more
then graft by splicing near the ground
This gives strong, healthy growth the frs
year, with numerous roots TO sustain th'
tree in after years, and il is the quantity
aud quality Of roots the tree has that its fu
ture productiyeness depends upon, for with
out proper root tree will sooner or late
fail. ......... .t....
The other manner is to graft into piece
Of roots aud the growth is 50 stimulated tina
they are too tender for our climate aud sol'
by agents that care nothing what they bear
knowing it will take four or i've years beior
they come into bearing so that the imPosl