ii6 



AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



TABLE XL— INFLUENCE OF CULTURAL METHODS ON SIZE AND COLOR. 



EXPERIMENT 221. 



(Average weights and color of fruit, 1907-12.) 



Taken as a whole, these results show a rather marked dis- 

 tribution of the honors, — neither method showing a uniform 

 superiority over the other in all characters. The mulched fruit 

 as usual is superior in color. It is also leading in average size, 

 in two cases out of three, and its deficiency in the third is so 

 slight that its general superiority in color would probably entitle 

 it to rank first throughout in respect to commercial quality. 



On the other hand, we find that here, as in the other mature 

 orchard, the trees receiving the tillage and cover-crop treatment 

 are making uniformly the largest growth. Whether or not this 

 is also the best growth for trees of this age is less certain. 

 There are some indications that the two plats receiving fertiliza- 

 tion in addition to tillage and cover crops, are now making 

 rather too much growth for best results in yield, which is natu- 

 rally the important item in a mature orchard, and in it unneces- 

 sary growth is objectionable. 



In the absence of fertilization, the cover-cropped trees are 

 now excelling the mulch in yield by about 23 bushels annually, 

 and this margin would be materially increased if the yields for 

 the entire period were included. This superiority is very decid- 

 edly reversed, however, when fertilization is added to both 

 treatments. Under the latter condition, the mulched trees are 

 giving better annual returns than any combination involving 

 tillage and cover crops that we have tested thus far. Their 



