PROCEEDINGS OF THE WINTER MEETING. 29 



The meeting was a model in many ways. In hospitality to outsiders; 

 in recognition of facts, no matter how homely the garb in which they were 

 presented; in the economy of time shown in the management of the 

 society ; in the utmost good nature which prevailed, and in the faith 

 exhibited in the future of horticulture, I have rarely seen the equal and 

 never the superior of this gathering of men. 



ARE WE TO HAVE AN APPLE FAMINE? 



BY W. F. BIRD OF ANN ARBOR. 



As fond recollection presents to our view the scenes of our childhood, 

 ihe orchard — ^ah ! yes, the orchard — in summer its boughs bending 

 beneath their loads of apples, and in winter the cellar filled with its 

 luscious fruit of Spys, Rambos, Seeknofurthers, Baldwins, Newtown pip- 

 pins, Talmans, Red Canadas, and dozens of other varieties. Contrast the 

 present fruitless branches, the empty cellars, the cheerless hearth. We 

 almost wish the past forgotten. The question above has come too late. 

 We already have the famine; and, like the prodigal of old, having squan- 

 dered our heritage, we are trying to fill our bellies with things that 

 satisfy not — bananas, oranges, lemons, and the like. However cheap these 

 may be, they can never take the place of apples. 



We may not be wholly to blame for the famine, but, having come, it is 

 ours to enquire the reason why. 



It is the almost universal custom to tax the orchard land with other 

 crops, the same as though there were no orchard there, and with no extra 

 fertilizing. If trees have feeling, as some wise ones seem to think, they 

 must rebel against such an odious tax. But, feeling or no feeling, the 

 food supply once exhausted there is nothing to do but stand still and die 

 a lingering death. 



In this case it would seem to be plain that a little less cropping, a little 

 more food, and better cultivation would be of great benefit. For want of 

 these we are certainly to blame. 



Another practice for which we are to blame, and which results in fail- 

 ure, is planting too closely together. And what is worse, in some sections 

 where peaches are grown, apples and peaches are planted together alter- 

 nately only a rod apart each way. An orchard of this kind stands in view 

 from where I write. It is perhaps twenty-five years old. The land was 

 strong and good and the peach trees bore abundantly ; but they have long 

 since passed away, and the apple trees are locked together like trees in 

 the forest. Two rows on one side of the orchard were planted to pears 

 instead of peaches. These have shot up into the sky to get light, but 

 bear no fruit worth mention. The apple trees have borne one fair crop, 

 and that is probably all they will do until some thinning, manuring, and 

 cultivating is done. 



