134 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



Ques. You think if we have plenty of meadow hay that is 

 not of much value, it would pay in rather a dry orchard to put 

 it on? 



Prof. Stewart: We have used swamp hay with excellent 

 results ; anything that will help hold the moisture. If you can 

 get three tons of it you are not getting too much ; and as the 

 trees get larger you ought to have a little more to give a real 

 good mulch around the roots. 



Ques. Does that work well on old trees? 



Prof. Stewart : Yes, especially in connection with proper 

 fertilization. 



Ques. You would advise to set an orchard in ground well 

 prepared for a natural cover crop of couch? 



Prof. Stewart : If the place were satisfactory for an orchard 

 in other respects I would not hesitate to put it in orchard. Thd 

 couch or quack grass would by no means keep me out. 



Ques. What I mean, you would leave the grass right there ? 



Prof. Stewart : Yes. I would probably have to leave it, if it 

 behaves in the usual fashion. 



Ques. Does sod fruit have good keeping qualities ? 



Prof. Stewart : Yes, unless it hastens the maturity to such 

 an extent that we have to pick apples too early in the fall. 



Ques. How much manure do you use ? 



Prof. Stewart : Twelve tons to the acre, annually, but as T 

 said yesterday, I don't now recommend more than eight tons. 



Ques. What do you think of hogs in an orchard? 



Prof. Stewart: Well, if I had the hogs and had no place 

 else for them and wanted to continue raising them, I would 

 leave them in the orchard. But we have had some very un- 

 favorable results from hogs in an orchard. I would not have 

 more than two or three hogs to the acre. 



Ques. You would not run them late in the orchard ? 



Prof. Stewart : No, as a general proposition I would not. 



Ques. If you were going to use commercial fertilizer and 

 mulch would it be necessary to sift the fertilizer down with a 

 fork ? 



Prof. Stewart : No ; just sow it around over the surface and 

 let the rains carry it down. As a general proposition you can 

 get about as good results, sometimes better, by simply leaving 



