The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-10
The Agricultural Editors Farm.

From time to time correspondents
have asked for description of our own
little farm in these columns, and not
long ago one said that if we would not
do it ourself he should ask Brother
jameson to send description to THE
WATCHMAN's general columns. We
are always glad to have our readers
visit us and see for themselves what
we are doing, or have done, in the way
of farming and orcharding; but our es-
innate of our own work is not high
enough to inspire desire to write of it,
except incidentally, in this department.
But we find in the Home Farm of
Augusta, Maine, a slight description,
written by transient visitor last sum-
mer, for the Homestead of Springfield,
Mass. This description, under the
heading Fruit on the Forthwith
Parallel" with few kind words of
introduction by Brother Boardman of
the Home Farm, we here append:
Zone of the most esteemed special
writer's for the agricultural press is Dr.
L. III. Hoskins of Vermont, who is a
native of Gardiner in this county. He
is practical man, as well as clear.
lucid, able writer. In some lines of
experience he deserves to be regarded
as quite as much an authority as any
person now before the public. This is
true regarding his opinions on fruit
culture for his locality, dairying and
some lines of general farming. His
articles to our own paper are among his
most careful writings and are highly
valued by our readers. For this reason
they will be interested in the following
account of his home and grounds, fur
nished by correspondent of the Ne,c
England Homestead:
~ visited the fruit garden and orchard
of T. II. Hoskins, NJ. d., of Newport,
VT, on August l6. DR.. Hoskins'
grounds are situated on Lake Memphre-
magog, about six miles from the
Canada line. Although the location is
not avery favorable one for fruit-grow-
ing, the proprietor has, by judicious
management in. the selection of varie-
ties and in culture, managed to secure a
very fine selection of fruit. As New
port is situated so far north (45o) and
is, moreover, in a particularly bleak
locality, the tenderer sorts of fruit, many
of which flourish in the Champlain
valley, cannot be successfully grown
there.
The apples are all Russian. The
Baldwin and Rhode Island Greetings,
which are raised almost exclusively
with us as winter sorts, it is impossible
to grow here. But few apples have been
grown in this locality until quite re-
Gently, and now they have a ready local
market at paying price. Yellow
Transparent takes the place of other
early sorts, and if it does as well else
where it might be profitably grown.
They bear quite young; several four
year-old trees had nearly bushel of
fruit which, at the date of our visit, was
fully ripe. The Wealthy is the best
winter apple here; in a word, it is the
northern Baldwin. The Duchess, as
medium early sort, is success. Prin-
gle's Sweet Grab was literally loaded
down with fruit, which is reported as
making excellent cider and also fine for
dessert
"The harder sorts of small fruits do
well, with the exception of red raspber-
ries, which do not appear to be well
adapted TO this region. The Synder
blackberry-just commencing to ripen
lis not quite hardy, but nearly so. The
common varieties of strawberries do
well, except Bidwell, which didn't ripen
evenly. A very fine seeding straw
berry was shown which presented Won
derfully vigorous foliage. 1t is an evil
dent cross between Wilson and Crescent.
1.-The regulars in the way of grapes,
such as Concord, Moore's Early, Brigh-
ton, Delaware, ETC., are all at home
here and winter well with but slight
protection. But little difficulty is ex-
perienced in raising currants. The
worms are effectually disposed of by
one or two liberal applications of pure
hellebore, used with water, which is
much better than dust. There is a
great deal of hellebore on the market
which is so adulterated as to be COM
paratively worthless. Care should be
taken to get a genuine article. The
Houghton gooseberry is the only one
grown.