STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY". 



413 



Extracts froin Letters Received. 



[From N. T. True, M. h., of Bethel.] 



Perhaps I can do no better service to the cause of orchard culture 

 than by giving my own experience since I described my method of 

 setting out an orchard at a previous meeting of the Society. 

 [Report 1876, p. 71.] Actual results are usually far preferable to. 

 theories. 



My two young orchards were composed of seedling stocks trans-- 

 planted with great care six ^-ears ago. 1 did not engraft them till I 

 they had become well rooted and growing thriftily, because I then , 

 believed, as I now do, that I should lose a smaller number of stocks, 

 than if I had done it when they were transplanted. Out of my two- 

 orchards, I have lost but two stocks — one, by transplanting to its 

 roots a dead calf, and the other, from having a dead heart in its 

 infancy. 



The stocks ai'e all engrafted in one orchard, but in different 

 years, as they seemed best fitted for the purpose. I have always 

 left some small shoots below the stock so that in case of failure I- 

 might save the stock. Manj' of the tops are becoming quite treeish. 

 I have kept my trees all well mulched chiefly with maple leaves. 

 These have been of great value. I have allowed the land to be 

 seeded down to grass one year, but re-plowed last spring, removed 

 the mulching and earth, and supplied a dressing of well decomposed 

 compost of muck and barn manure. They have grown finely the 

 past year. M3' other orchard has had less care, but is doing well. 

 A few stocks engrafted with King of Tompkins County, were killed 

 last winter. 



I have endeavored to anticipate the future of the tree by shaping 

 it as soon as I could with a good spreading top. I have applied ■ 

 whitewash made of lime and lye from leached ashes. 



These are all the points I find worthy of note with reference to 

 what I have done. 



But as attention is not usually given to reporting our omissions 

 and mistakes, I will simply add, that if I. were ta prepare my hard 



