44 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Apply 10 to 15 lbs. broadcast under the trees early in the sprmg 

 over a little wider area than that covered by the spread of the 

 tree. 



Do not use ground bone, tankage, or other animal products 

 as a top dressing as much of their value is likely to be lost 

 before they become available to the plant. 



In closing perhaps I should reiterate what I said at the begin- 

 ning, that orchard culture and fertilizing are but two of the 

 things that should receive careful attention by the progressive 

 orchardist. The first step toward a profitable orchard is the 

 growing of a strong, vigorous, healthy tree. Proper prepara- 

 tion of the land before setting the trees, proper cultivation, the 

 addition of humus and fertility by means of cover crops, tillage 

 to liberate the mineral elements and the judicious application 

 of plant food to orchards so situated that cultivation is impos- 

 sible, are the fundamental factors w^hich place within the tree 

 itself the power to thrive and grow,- and yield fruit which will 

 command top price in the marlsct and bring back to the grower 

 satisfactor}^ returns. 



Mr. Thorpe: I feel that it is a big loss to the state, and 

 especially this section of the state, that there are not .five hun- 

 dred or more farmers and apple growers present. We are glad 

 to see all that are here, but I can't understand why five hundred 

 that are within ten miles' driving distance are not here. Now 

 when I was growing apples, or trying to, I didn't let such 

 chances pass, and I got results. IMany points of value to 

 orchardists have been brought out in these papers. I was 

 especially interested in the matter of cultivation taken up by 

 the last speaker, that is, the effects of cultivation as shown this 

 summer and at other times. I believe most thoroughly that if 

 we can cultivate an orchard, as he expressed it, and at the same 

 time get other crops from that orchard by pvitting back the fer- 

 tility that is taken, that is the way to grow fruits ; especially 

 when we get the drought that we have had this summer, and 

 frequently get. By this cultivation we can control the moisture, 

 as has been shown by the abundant crops of potatoes grown 

 this summer. W^e can control it in this way as we can in no 

 other way. I have been over the state quite extensively this 

 summer, and it has never been brought home to me as fully as 



