Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-11-28

ORCHARDING IN DEMONSTRATING
our short larry among the Vermont far
mers, it was our pleasure to meet Mr..
Levi Swift, very successful orchardst
in the town of Middlesex, locality by
the way, which has not generally been
considered particularly favorable to fruit
culture, though many good trees and Il
few fine orchards may be found in favored
situations. Mr.. Swift is a young man,
occupying small farm ofG0acres, which.
10y the death of his father, came under his
own control, some ten years ago. while
vet but boy. and with II debt upon ii of
about $500. Eighty apple trees had been
set by his father seven years earlier, and
he young man had been carefully instruct
ed in all the details of orchard planting,
and tending. Never was land better
prepared for trees than was Mr.. Swift's
before planting, some two years being
devoted 10 putting it in the best possible
condition. Then the trees were selected
with the greatest good Judgment and most
carefully planted.
Three years ago, 100 more trees were
set and within the past year, 22O more,
max ing in all, 400 trees. The orchard is
some distance back from the valley of the
WInooski river, on yellow loan soil, not
steep enough to wash, but pitching slight
ly towards the west, and thus gets the
cold winds IN wintei, which, while not
usually severe enough TO inure the trees,
holds them back from starting premature
ly in early spring Fol the inst few years
after setting, the land is kept ploughed,
but is afterwards seeded to grass. Wheth-
er ploughcd or IN Ara.s, the trees are
always caled for as much as corn or
potato crop would be, the soil being kept
constantly rich enough to produce any
ordinary farm crop.
Wood ashes are freely used in connec-
ton with stable manure rs top dressing
every year. Insects ave kept of, and the
trunks of the smaller trees are washed
with strong soap suds once o. twice q
year. The trees are allowed TO branch Oh
low, and they are trimmed Ia i't in a du"
amount OF sunshine and am.
As enough good, grated fruit il no
grown in the vicinity to supply lhr h"ln"
demand Mr.. Swift often hnHs II Aolue
market for his crop, and stores II portion
for winter sales. His cellar is kept AS
cold as can be, and not free and AS tie c
is a stream of water running through ii.
the temperature can be kept quite low
without danger of freezing the fruit when
headed up in barrels piled on their sizes
Although less than Il quarter Of the trees
have yet come into bearing, enough h -
been sold from the farm during Inc pas.
eight yeas 10 pay off The debt, remodel
and repair The buildings, ard pay for the
new trees set out
Mr.. Swift, though modest, and showing
no disposition TO bra2 about his business,
was tree to give his figures, and told us
that he had made the farm pay HIM about
$4,000 Clear, after paying all expenses,
during the last eight years, or nearly
500 per year, and this while building up
a business. What the fam will do ten or
fifteen years hence, under the same care
full management, and when All the trees
come into bearing, our readers can estl
mate according o their own lud gment.
Some oil the varieties which are most
highly esteemed in Boston market, 0hc
Baldwin and Rhode Island gIeenlng) are
found too tender iUr this climate. The
red aTtraohan i, liked gcSy well Tor very
early, and the Duchess OF O!denbnrg tol
later market. The latter is great favor
i've generally throughout the state. The
sweet are both commended, also several
varieties bearing local names, which are
not found in the full books.
~ Pears and plums are also successful lily
grown, the Clapp's iavoliye and hamish
beauty both beng sufficiently hardy for
tins latitude, being among the best. We
are clad to notice the flemish beauty,
which cracks so badly IN Massachusetts a>
10 have BECOME utterly worthless, is sIll
healthy in Vermont We found trees
loaded down with this variety along the
lake shore, the color and size SO dccelving
that it wss hard to beie7s Il really the
same pear that has long been ruled out oil
tho Isis lU. culture CT exhibition There
is room Tor "A good many apple and pear
orchards in Vermont, aui Ar. swift )
example % worth following ty . COED
many Vermont boys,-E. F. F;Jy0er.