STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 75 



Mr. Conant : This is a very timely question. It is a question 

 many of us will not be able to settle at this time. However, I 

 would like to hear from the various growers on this subject. 

 Personally, I feel like this : We have had a wet season. Our 

 trees are in splendid vigorous condition ; they set heavily with 

 fruit buds, made splendid growth and are in fine condition. In 

 my particular case, knowing the conditions and methods of 

 feeding, the practice in the past, I shall be very careful not to 

 overfeed my trees this year. Consequently, I will probably 

 reduce the amount per acre of fertilizer. 



Mr. Morse : I think this is quite a question. We are plan- 

 ning to use barn dressing, as far as possible, instead of chemi- 

 cals. We have been using chemical fertilizers, perhaps longer 

 than any other orchardist in the state — fifteen years at least — 

 and we have found that our trees do not seem to respond to its 

 use as they did formerly. So far as the chemical is concerned 

 we must wait and see what we can get. 



No. 42. Is bird life to be encouraged by the grower of 

 small fruits? 



Mr. Wyman : I think, Mr. President, it should be encouraged 

 by all means. They destroy lots of insects among our small 

 fruits as well as the large fruits. 



Mr. Conant: I am of the same opinion as Mr. Wyman. 

 While they destroy more or less fruit, cherries and things like 

 that, I think they do us a great deal more good than harm. I 

 shall certainly do my best to increase the number of birds on 

 my farm. 



No. 49. What is an average yield per acre for red rasp- 

 berries ? 



Mr. Wyman : I have been averaging mine, Mr. President, 

 as near as I can get at it for a series of years. I find it is 

 about 40 bushels to the acre. 

 Question : How many years ? 



Mr. Wyman : Well, I have gone back five years. 



Mr. Conant : I have asked that question of large growers 

 in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and they say from 1800 to 

 2000 quarts per acre. And I will say that is practically what 

 my acre yields. 



Question : What is the average price ? , 



Mr. Conant : I am not in a position to give you those figures. 

 We have the figures — the cost of harvesting the berries and 



