42 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



Summer Spraying. — I have not touched much on spraying 

 in the summer time, because I have been speaking of putting 

 the trees in shape. \\'e are adopting, as I suppose almost every- 

 body else is adopting now, lime and sulphur with arsenate of 

 lead as a summer spray. 



Cultivation. — Wherever possible I believe in cultivating an 

 orchard. Those neglected are always found in sod. In many 

 old orchards the roots are too near the surface to plow. In 

 such cases use a disc or cutaway harrow to break up the sod, 

 and follow with the spring-tooth to maintain the surface tilth. 

 If the trees are low down, as I advise, cultivate the spaces be- 

 tween the trees, — do not attempt to crowd in under the branches, 

 as the active feeding roots will be as much benefited without 

 it. While I strongly believe in cultivation. I also think at 

 times it is advisable to seed down to a good clover sod to check 

 a too rampant growth and also to aid in developing a higher 

 colored fruit. I then cut the clover and let it lie wdiere cut. I 

 would let the orchard remain in sod until the growth of the 

 tree or the character of the fruit indicated it should be broken 

 up again. 



Fertilisation. — In all my orchard renovation work I have 

 used chemicals instead of stable manure, although undoubtedly 

 the latter will give excellent results if supplemented by such 

 chemicals as supply potash and phosphoric acid. I buy and use 

 chemicals in the raw state, rather than any particular brand of 

 mixed goods. You are then sure of what you are getting and 

 it is the cheapest in the long run. In various orchards I have 

 used sulphate of potash, nitrate of potash, ground bone, wood 

 ashes, nitrate of soda and basic slag. My main reliance has 

 been, however, on nitrate of soda for the nitrogen, sulphate of 

 potash for the potash, and basic slag for the phosphoric acid 

 and lime. I prefer potash in the form of sulphate to muriate, 

 although more expensive, because muriate robs the soil of lime. 

 Phosphoric acid as supplied by basic slag seems to me much 

 superior to acid phosphate, as I believe in sweetening the soil 

 rather than souring it. The amount and proportion of these 

 chemicals to use are problems for the individual grower. I 

 would not attempt to prescribe. One can only determine by 

 experiment. The color of the foliage and results of the har- 

 vest are good criterions to go by. In a general way I have used 



