STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 63 



start in. on tillage early in the spring, and start a strong and 

 vigorous growth on the trees as early as possible. And not 

 only that, but conserve the soil moisture. Cultivate that or- 

 chard, depending on the moisture conditions, up to July i. 



Fertilization. 



In connection with this cultivation comes the next important 

 thing. It has never been considered necessary to have any 

 definite plan as to what we should do along the lines of ferti- 

 lization. This question has been discussed from the New York 

 standpoint and from a Pennsylvania standpoint, and those 

 people. from the different states cannot agree on any plan. It has 

 been discussed pro and con, the same as the different methods 

 and times for spraying applications, until I want to state here — 

 to make it very definite — that these problems are in many cases, 

 and in most all cases, local problems. The spraying calendar 

 that will apply to western New York will not apply to Maine ; 

 a spraying calendar that will apply in Annapolis Valley in 

 Nova Scotia will not apply in Maine ; and any system of fer- 

 tilization or any particular formula for fertilizer, or brand of 

 fertilizer that might apply in some other states, may not apply 

 to Maine conditions. I think this thing has been threshed out 

 and results secured by many of our growers, and I state this 

 after making observation in every part of the state. Wherever 

 I go I never lose a minute or an opportunity to get in touch 

 with what is being done and to get right down to the bed rock, 

 and to find out the reason why this thing is so and so. So that 

 fertilization, I believe, is something quite important to us, as 

 being a factor in connection with cultivation toward product- 

 iveness, the annual yield or biannual yield of fruit here in 

 Maine. I think further, it has been demonstrated in my own 

 county that a little fertilization, and only a little, is mighty 

 beneficial to our orchards. There is a tendency on the part of 

 many of our growers to overdo this fertilization question, and 

 there is a like tendency on the part of some of them to under- 

 fertilize their trees. There is a tendency on the part of a great 

 majority of our growers to treat all varieties under all con- 

 ditions the same. And it is impossible to get along in this hap- 

 hazard way without taking into account the demands of the 



