266 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



until the trees come into bearing. After that the whole surface 

 must 1)e top-dressed and kept in a good sta^e of fertility. Don't 

 forget that the amount and quality of the fruit you will get will 

 depend almost wholly on the amount of dressing applied. This 

 method means labor and expense, but I am satisfied that in no other 

 wav can a good orchard and its fruit be raised in a mowino; field. 

 Trees set in such a place and left to themselves might just as well 

 have been burned u[) before setting. If any one has engaged trees 

 and intends doing so with them I should advise him. after he gets 

 his trees and pays for them, to chop them up for the stove and save 

 further trouble. I have seen trees set and left in that way so many 

 times that I know it to be a sure failure. 



The proper feeding of fruit trees holds exactlv the same place of 

 importance that the feeding of stock does to insure profitable animals. 

 Alternate liberal feeding and starvation is as unprofital)Ie in one case 

 as the other. The manuring of the soil is of full as much importance 

 for fruit trees as for a crop of coi'n or anything else. After 

 securing the right varieties, this matter of manuring is the most 

 important point to be met. 



The next in point of importance is eternal vigilance in protecting 

 the trees and fruit from their numerous enemies. This means some- 

 thing besides going around amongst the trees and looking at them. 

 It means work, and continued, persistent work. It means the 

 studying of the habits of these enemies, their methods of doing 

 business, and the best wa}' of destroying them. 



There are two ways to increase the size and qualit}' of fruit. One 

 is to take oflf a portion of the tree top or the fruit inearh- summer, 

 and enough of it so that the tree will not be over-taxed to perfect 

 what is left. The other way is to increase the fertility of the soil 

 sufficiently to suppW a good growth to the whole top and perfect a 

 large crop of fruit. Orchardists can take their choice of the two 

 wa3's, but if the last method is chosen it will be necessary' to begin 

 at least a year or two before hand. I think in many cases both 

 methods might be used with good results. 



I would not advise an}- one to set trees grafted at the root. They 

 will do well enough in favorable seasons, but when there comes a 

 hard year for them they are more liable to be killed than those that 

 are grafted in the liml)s ; and we are located too near the northern- 

 most limit of some of the most valuable market varieties to neglect 

 to place them under the most favorable circumstances in our power. 



