74 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



where it was packed by experienced packers in bushel and half bushel 

 boxes. Each pear was placed in a transparent wrapper stamped with 

 an attractive brand. Only the most perfect fruit was packed, but in 

 this case over ninety-seven per cent was in the best of condition. 



The packed boxes were loaded in the rack wagons and within a few 

 hours after the fruit left the trees it was tightly braced in the refriger- 

 ator cars ready for the best markets. 



The natural question is, ''Has all this care yielded dividends?" The 

 answer is, "Yes, decidedly." This orchard is averaging over ten per cent 

 clear each year. The Bartletts have never sold for less than |1.50 per 

 box and occasionally they have brought as high as $5.00. The half boxes 

 do nearly as well. Other varieties bring as much or more. In 1912 one 

 large lot of Bosc pears sold for |o.85 a half box. 



There is no question but that all this care has yielded dividends and 

 large ones. 



REINFORCING AND BRACING FRUIT TREES. 



v. R. PICKFORD, EAST LANSING. 



The methods of preventing fruit trees from splitting is an important 

 subject. We have all seen orchards of various kinds break down and 

 become unprofitable when they should be in their period of greatest 

 returns. 



Several factors have tended to make the problem of splitting less 

 severe. Among these is the habit of thinning, which is a widespread 

 and growing practice, especially among peach and apple growers. The 

 severity of the thinning should be tempered to the strength of the 

 trees, leaving enough to make a safe load, counting on each fruit be- 

 coming nonnal size for the variety. 



Another factor which will do away in some measure with the fre- 

 quent premature breakdown is better formed trees. The idea of forming 

 the head of an apple tree, (for example), so that the main branches are 

 well distributed on the trunk, is a comparatively new one. Throughout 

 the country many young orchards are found with from four to eight 

 main branches, or scaffold limbs starting from the same level. 



This summer I worked in a young Duchess orchard of considerable 

 size in which the tops were formed in this manner. It has always had 

 first class care, with good cultivation, making the trees of good size and 

 thrifty appearance. Many, howe^^er, exhibit an alarming tendency to 

 split in the crotches although up to this season they had never borne a 

 good load of fruit. 



This spring the orchard was left in clover sod, with the idea of check- 

 ing growth, toughening the wood and causing them to bear. For this 

 or other reasons they set a nice lot of fruit, making it necessary that 

 something be done to keep the trees from splitting. In doing this a 

 somewhat different method was followed than the usual practice of 

 wrapping a "gunny" sack around the branches, placing a few splints 

 over the sacking and binding them together with wire. Two inch screw- 

 eyes were used, putting them into the frame-work branches in such a 

 manner that the flat side of the eye was parallel with the long way of 



