38 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



Nonpareil trees uniform in size were also used in a similar 

 test, 17.4 per cent of the apples being removed early in August. 

 The picked fruit from the unthinned trees averaged 2,492 ; the 

 thinned, 2,668 apples per tree. The number of apples removed 

 from the thinned trees averaged 562. The unthinned trees gave 

 667 ; the thinned, 623 apples per barrel, tree run. The cost per 

 tree for thinning was 25 cents. The results obtained were as 

 follows : 



Unthinned. Thinned. 



Per cent No. i fruit 50-39 59-02 



Per cent No. 2 fruit 32.42 26.69 



Per cent No. 3 fruit 10.15 14-^9 



Per cent Cull 7.04 



In connection with the thinning work, some one will say it is 

 a big expense. The expense of thinning is not so very great after 

 all. We figure on about 25 cents per tree, that is, on trees about 

 twenty to thirty years old. You will be surprised to learn how 

 rapidly a person used to it can go over the trees and remove the 

 fruit. To remove this fruit amounts to about $10.00 an acre, 

 figuring it at 40 trees to the acre. The cost of thinning is more 

 than ofifset by the ease in packing your fruit at harvest time. If 

 you have a large percentage of No. 2 or No. 3 to go through to 

 get your No. i fruit, you can readily understand that you must 

 of necessity take more time in order to get your grading done. 

 So that we find the cost of thinning is more than offset by the 

 increased ease with which the packing can be done after the fruit 

 goes into the packing house. I do not know that it is necessary 

 to spend any more time on this phase of the work that we are 

 following out, I just bring it to your attention because it is one 

 of the things lost sight of by our growers and possibly by some 

 of your growers. I wish to take this opportunity of impressing 

 upon you that in the production of your box fruit, you must 

 practice thinning more or less in your orchards if quality is to 

 be obtained and it is quality that pays. 



Question: What time do you recommend doing thinning? 



Prof. Blair : When the apples are about the size of a crab 

 apple or possibly a little smaller ; some say about the size of 

 your thumb. Of course crab apples are difterent sizes, but a 

 medium sized crab apple. We have generally a considerable 



