84 STATK POM(JLOGICAL SOCIKTV. 



of the late Hon. Roheit Il.'illowell (lardiner, one of llie mosi zeal- 

 ous, enthusiastic and <levote(l |)orn(>l<)gists in the Slate. 



Havin<r adopted his practice. I an) fn-e to say thai I have been 

 benefitted l»y his experience in this din-ction. Of course, rather 

 than not prune at all. I would reconjuicnd to prune at any titnc when 

 the saw and knife is shai'i) Old trees that are full of suckers and 

 dead branches had bitter be j)runed in Octol)er or November lather 

 than in the spring 



DISTANCE APART. 



Twenty years or more of experience has not only strengthened 

 my belief, but it has lully confiiincd it. that thiity feet apart each 

 way is none too far for most varii'ties, and especially for Baldwin, 

 Roxbury Kusset, K. I. Greening. Belltlower and Northern Spy, 



DKAINAGE. 



My experience has been that where there is not natural dtainage 

 sufik'ient. artificial drainage must be given, and that it always pays. 

 In one portion of my orchard there is a plat of ground three-quar- 

 ters of an acre in extent, which in years past has been thoroughl}' 

 underdrained. To look at the land you would never think that once 

 it was nothing but a morass or quagmire, wh-^re nothing but quack- 

 grass, poUy-pod and mares'- tails grew, but such was the case. Now, 

 and for several years past, there has been growing upon it first-class 

 grasses and heavy crops, and there is also a fine young orchard of 

 Roxbury Russets and Yellow Bellflower apple trees. Yes, drainage, 

 and especially underdraining, has paid me more than twcnt\' per cent. 



STORAGE AND PACKING OF FRUIT. 



My practice has been to store in the cellar in barrels well headed 

 up rather than in bulk, but were all my conditions right I might pre- 

 fer to store in bulk. 1 have learned not to put apjjles in heaps in 

 the orchard, never to carry them into a loft, for there they are sure 

 to rot, and that it is better to carry fruit, if possible, directly into a 

 cool, clean cellar and let them lie there undisturbed till packing and 

 selling time, rather than into barns, sheds or open buildings where 

 the}' are liable to be tuore or less bruised in a second handling, and 

 where they are more likely to heat and sweat. 



In packing apples we have always taken pains to have a uniform- 

 ity of fruit throughout the barrel, consequently we have never had 



