346 STATE HOKTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



taxed your patience quite long enough, so will thank you for your atten- 

 tion and indulgence in listening to so lengthy an article. 



This was followed by a paper upon the apple, read by the secretary^ 

 most of which has already appeared in this volume, at the close of which 

 A. J. Bracelin enquired if anyone had so carefully pruned his apple 

 orchard, while young, that only a large pruning knife was required to do 

 the work, as stated in the paper. 



Mr. LaFleur: Although the statement may not be entirely practical, 

 nor literally true, yet it is true and practical for the first six years, and is 

 thrown in to illustrate the importance of attending to these things while 

 the trees are young. Use the knife as long as you can; but when neces- 

 sary, use the saw, remembering always to use good, practical common-sense. 



Charles Manwaring: To be able to form perfect tops, one should 

 understand the habits of the different varieties and prune accordingly. 

 We should aim to assist nature to carry out her design in forming perfect 

 tops to trees. 



J. H. Wetmoee: When I set my apple orchard I made some mistakes,, 

 first, in not securing the right varieties; next, in planting too near 

 together, 33 feet apart (I should not now set less than 40 feet); next, I 

 formed the heads too low and cut out some of the leaders to form open, 

 spreading tops. I should now head the trees higher, especially the Green- 

 ing, and never cut out the main leaders but let them grow more as nature 

 indicated. The Greening, on my soil, has been one of the most profitable 

 varieties. I would now set Baldwin, Stark, Greening, and Hubbardston. 



Charles Manwaring: Although Mr. Wetmore's trees were headed too 

 low at the start, they were improved soon after by good pruning and the 

 lower limbs cut away, so that now, taking the orchard altogether, it would 

 be hard to find one with better formed tops. 



W. J. Shirley: . Is the Ben Davis tree profitable, or is it advisable to see 

 that variety for market, on sandy soil? I have seen it bearing while 

 young, large crops of fine-looking fruit which sells readily in market. 

 The tree is very hardy. The quality is not the best in the fore part of 

 winter, but in May and June they are at their best. 



A. J. Bracelin: I would not set Ben Davis, and would not advise 

 others to set that variety. Its advocates claim that the tree is hardy, com- 

 mences to bear young, and sells well in market. This may all be true, but 

 the quality is poor and in time will be condemned. The paper just read 

 claimed that the public taste is being educated up to a higher standard in 

 quality. I think giving the public Ben Davis apples to eat would be edu- 

 cating the public taste in the wrong direction. There are plenty of good 

 apples which can be grown in this section. Why not grow good fruit 

 when we can? 



Mr. LaFleur : There has been more discussion over the merits of the 

 Ben Davis apple than any other grown here. I think the whole thing 

 may be summed up like this: Tree a good grower, hardy and prolific; are 

 early bearers; fruit attractive in color; good size; a long keeper, improv- 

 ing in quality with age; sells well in market at present; it may continue 

 to sell readily for many years, or it may not. We know what it is doing 

 at present; we can only speculate as to its future. 



A. J. Bracelin: Is the Steele's Bed apple a distinct variety? I have- 

 heard this disputed. 



