56 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



removing, say one-third of the top, every other year and form- 

 ing the top from the new shoots, the work of renovating can be 

 easily done. This method requires careful pruning else the 

 growth will be too rapid and winter injury will result. 



Often in order to start the top low enough it is necessary to 

 cut below the original graft and new scions have to be set. 



In contrast to such trees old hulks are found with little top 

 and rotten and decayed trunks. They are hardly 



worth giving a moment's thought and should be made into fire 

 wood as soon as possible. Not only are they worthless but they 

 act as breeding grounds for the difit'erent insects that prey upon 

 the fruit and foliage. The loose bark and abundant crevices 

 afford ideal quarters for such insects and they are not slow to 

 take advantage of them. In the interest of good fruit such trees 

 should be condemned. 



PRODUCTION. 



It has been estimated that nearly 30,000,000 barrels of apples 

 were produced in the United States during the season of 1911. 



Our crops will reach the 1,000,000 barrel mark in all proba- 

 bility, an increase of about 15% over last season. 



These apples were produced largely in Oxford, Franklin and 

 Kennebec counties, although some of the finest fruit was pro- 

 duced in other sections. This estimate constitutes only about 

 60% of a full crop and demonstrates how powerful a factor we 

 can become in the market if we will care for our fruit and make 

 our packs attractive and honest. 



We hear a lot at present about over-production because of the 

 extensive plantings in the Atlantic and western states. This 

 bugbear has tended to discourage many growers from increasing 

 their orchards. 



Fifteen years ago, or to be specific, in 1896, the production of 

 the United States was sixty-nine odd million barrels and in 1895 

 it was sixty million, showing that the production has fallen off 

 about one-half since that time. The demand and consumption 

 have increased rapidly since then until at the present time, the 

 apple has become a necessary part of the diet. 



Competition is becoming keener but many of the states that 

 produce the finest fruit, are badly handicapped by heavv trans- 



