Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-10-05
ANOTHER VT. ORCHARD.
III. II. Hill Writes Concerning u
Rixford's Apples in IIighEntc'

10 tne Eultor of The Free IIes"'
Approaching your effort to direct atten-
ton to the possibilities Of Vermont TOT 'he
production Of fruit, thought would write
you what | saw on September ~ wheh
visited the RiXford orchard AT Last
highgate. 1t is located in the MisSlsquo'
valley near the line between hlsh8ate
and Franklin, on moderately SteeP'
rocky hillside so common to Vermont
and typical Of the foothill scenery the
whole length of the state. II was once
forest of the hardwood with but l'ttie OF
the evergreen timber as Indicated py the
growth at present on the hlllsides In the
locality.
| am Obliged to leave out Of It's ac-
count much Of the data which | would
like to use on account Of its owner, o. II.
luxford, and family being away at the
state fair. This orchard was planted
some 40 years ago by the father, q. >.
l{ixford, Of the present owner, the we'll
known manufacturer Of sCYthes and axes.
lie cut off the original growth and seeing
some scattering scrub apple trees su2-
, gested the idea and planted this orchard
among the stumps and rocks. where the
plow had not turned sod and so far az
l
orchard is irregular on account Of rocky
ridges, intcrrurting the regular PLANTING
Of solid systematic orchardlng But be-
ing a gentleman Of the old red school and
n graduate Of Brigham Academy at
Bakersfield he developed a character. of
sturdy honesty. bus. Judgment and
| sagacty, such as We are the better for
having known He visited me at my
] Il, lo,, n
years Of his life. He showed the best Of
! Judgment in planting this orchard wholly
to SHOWS or the fcmcuse Gas commonly
known the hardest variety known to our
cold winters in northern Vermont.
| lie lived to harvest many good crops Of
the fruit which I have been told helped
out financially In time of business neces-
| sty. The fruit has been packed and
marketed these years IN boxes l2Xl2xlS
inches inside measure. In the absence
Of O. H. Rixford and family was met
and taken over the orchard ny the farm
overseer or manager, Mr. Spear. a man
| Of good and pleasing address and intel
| igence. who had been in the position for
| y wears. This fruit Vas tEo finest show
/ of SHOWS ever saw IT about 5000 20
/ 1900 boxes Of clean we'll colored. good
! size, uniform fruit. The crop is now be-
/ ing picked. packed and marketed.
/ could ind no sCah nor blight. no mark
/ Of insect or cut worm nor curculio. The
! fruit will r9"k "Gt Of 80 boxes OF y
grade or No. above two inches in di-
/ ameter, in fact | think It Is all OF that
grade and the fruit less than two inches
would he no. l only for the size.
This orchard was thoroughly sprayed
! AMI showed good fertility ny thick mat
| Of rowen It was top dressed In tive
J spring with a liberal Pressing OF nitrate
OF soda If apples fell they were not
harmed nor cut unless they came In con-
tact with a rock. But few had dropped
and these We're clean and bright.
being an Isle La Motto orchardist,
was agrecahly surprised pleased and wei
satisfied to End 30 fine sight OF fruit
slowed away in the hooks and crannies
of the rocks on hillside. away by itself
from the locality OF other orchards.
We found the broad gate leading into
the orchard wide open inulcating to us
the character and genial hospitality OF
the present owner and family. He tele-
| phrored me no had ,rll. hut lid not name
| price, this fruit since it wa CONNER
riallv produced. I. has been marketed II
Buffalo. y. Y, whore it has come Into
competition with the boxed apples from
the fruit growing VI New York, from
Oswego, along the shores Of Lake on
tario to Niarara as we'll as the boxed APP
pies from the Pacihc States Of Washing
ton. Oregon and Colorado. 1t Is SO favor
ably known and appreciated for its SUI
perior, nneness of texture, flavor and