Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-09-27

corn, have box with partition in the
centre like the roof Of q house, with
hopper on the top. This will give q
chance for the hens TO get corn on both
sides Of the feed box. Never put over
fifty fowl together, IS more than this
In one pen will not do as well.
LYMAN ABBOTT.
| DENMARK-I would have deep.
strong soil, somewhat stony, and | pre-
fer q northern or northwestern slope for
location, rs the early warm weather In
March IL liable to start the sap too early,
causing the south side Of trees TO peel
and decay, on southern slopes. This Il
hardly ever seen In colder locations.
The hrst and most important point Is the
setting of an orchard. would set the
trees at distances Of at least forty by
forty-five feet. would have the place
large enough SO that the fibres and roots
may get good start In mellow soil, anu
the soil should always be mellow around
the trees, 90 that air and sun may be-
come assistants In the work. The sec
ond point Is feeding. Barnyard manure
and wood ashes are the best fertilizers
ever found, for they form plain, whole
some diet for all kinds of fruit trees, and
there IL more danger Of under feeding
than over feeding. would form my
tops when young, when II can be done
with pocket knife, and every year take
away all surplus growth so that the
branches will be open to the sun and air,
for | consider these essential TO the
growth Of trees, and growth aud color
\ l.. - .h4.& et,..,
into bearing, liberal manurlng shouts
be given them every year. The Bald
win, Northern Spy, Blue Pear main, Por-
ter and Pippiu make q good assortment
Ia this section, with the Tallmsn Saeet
CHAs. B. SMITH.
BETHEL think that fruit growing
should be the leading industry, in the
state ut least. We can raise prt fitsble
crops Of apples, cherries, small fruit.
etc., on rocky, broken land, where II
would be folly 70 attempt TO raise corn
or grain In competition with the West rn
farmers. Why should We let the vast
places about our farms grow up Ia
weeds and bushes when they might b.
producing cherries for our home mar
kets that are now being supplied almost
wholly from California?
H.F. MANN.
ANDRosCoGGIN COUNTY.
WEST MiNor-The subjects for con-
sideration this month are OF more i'm
portsnce than the majority cf farmer
realize. The keeping OF poultry for
profit requires care along the lines OF
breeding, feeding, housing and market
lug. For the farmer who follows the
market. and supplies his patrons Will,
poultry and eggs In connection with
other products OF the farm aud garden,
believe the larger kinds to be the best.
preferring the White Wysndottes. The
white breeds dress off much better than
the colored. The feed for egg produc-
ton and growth combined should not be
too fsttening. A large variety OF green
foods, combined with boiled vegetables
mixed with bran, gluten, and a little
corn meal, should constitute the main
feed. Plenty Of whole grain, such as
barley, oats, wheat and corn, should be-
mixed and scattered where the hens will
have to scratch to get IL. This will give
vigor and ensure healthy, hearty birds.
Lots OF buttermilk, skim-milk, and fresh
water are enjoyed and needed 10 the
hen-ysrd. Fresh eggs are always in
demand, and from line OF customers
regularly supplied, remunerative prices
Will be received the entire year. Fruit
may be produced on most soils 10 the
state Of Maine. The Baldwin leads as
shipping apple In this section. The
higher land with northern and western
slope produces the most vigorous,
healthy trees. More care should b.
given both TO trimming and fertilizing
our orchards. The growing OF variety
Of fruit, where one Is situated so as TO
market the same, Is q source OF income
far In advance Of selling at wholesale
prices. More farmers should make n
regular business OF marketing. By sell
Ing direct TO the consumer, retail prices
are received. Regularity 10 delivering,
and care that the products are first-class
| In all respects, will enable one to secure
| q line OF customers that will ensure sue
cess. w. h. LELAND.
ARoOSToOK COUNTY.
CASTLE HILL-we (my wife and j
are interested In poultry and fruit. She
Il raising 80 Bronze turkeys this year,
and sm raising some fruit, but don't
know as can interest or instruct any
one. This county will raise quite LOT
Of fruit this year. l have young trees
that are bearing such loads of apples
that the props are all that save them
from splitting all to pieces. Trees bear
that way here, but should be well fertliz-
ed to stand the strain on the vitality OF
the tree. A tree that won't stand rich
land, | don't want. There Is quite
long list of hardy varieties that are ali
right for the ridges In this county.
think that the ones who make poultry
pay best are those who feed best.
+. TARR.
wAsHBURN-In regard to fruit pro-
duction, my experience as to location
and soil Is that high, dry land Is needed,
and the harder and more rocky the soil
the better. Ii requires a west or north
cant, and without any windbreak, In
order for the trees to be healthy and to
fruit we'll. When started my orchard
thirty years ago, set row OF ever
greens on the west side, and they gre"
fiuely, reaching thirty feet In height,
and next to the windbresk my trees be-
gan to moss over. When we had a
spring frost It would kill the blossoms
on one third Of the width Of the orchard,
and the rest would be loaded. So cut
the evergreens all down, and have
never failed Of getting fair crop OF ap-
Piles every year since. OF course, In
order to get good crop every year, |
have to keep my trees well pruned and
dressed. l keep my orchard cultivated
between the rows every year, which Is q
great help to the trees. In North Aroos-
took there should be strip four feet
wide seeded to grass, to protect the
roots. l had fine young orchard Of
fifteen hundred trees, and cultivated
up to the trees, except two rows; and
three years ago Ice formed over the
ground and killed twelve hundred Of the
trees that had been set five and six
years. The two rows in grass were all
right. VIII you please tell me the best
time to prune trees!
8. w. TABER.
lNOrE-The consensus of opinion among our
best orchardists appears TO be that pruning
should be done when the trees are In dormant
condition, that 10, when the sap IL not In active
| months. IL 10 better, however TO form the top Of
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