G Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



Question. — Docs it not injure a young orchard to grow corn 

 in it \ 



Mr. Rice. — Corn is a ravenous feeder, so should not be planted 

 in a young orchard, but it is better than a sown crop, which does 

 not admit of cultivation, while corn does. Then, corn not only 

 shades the trees, but takes moisture from them. Beans or pota- 

 '• ■ - are crops more suited to a young orchard that is cultivated. 

 We have a young orchard six or seven years old, that bore a 

 number of apples on each tree almost, last season. The land 

 has been cultivated. 



Question. — Which is best, to mulch or cultivate an orchard; 

 and if to mulch, how far from the trees and how deep should 

 the mulch be? 



Mr. Smith. — That is a question that cannot be decided in one 

 way for every man. Good results from cultivation and mulch 

 are seen. If, however, you have an orchard that has not been 

 cultivated, go slow. Some of the best apples in cold storage at 

 Buffalo for the Pan-American were grown in orchards that were 

 mulched. But what is most needed is good thorough spraying, 

 both to kill insects and to prevent scab. If you mulch, cover the 

 ground six inches. 



Question. — What causes plum trees to blossom every year, 

 but fail to fruit? 



Mr. Stevens. — As a rule there is too much nitrogen. Root- 

 pruning will help somewhat. Drop off the nitrogen, and add 

 phosphoric acid and potash. It is nature's first work to perfect 

 seed, to do which it must have phosphoric acid. 



Question. — Name the best three varieties of late pears to grow 

 in this section (Steuben county), for profit I 



Mr. Rice. — I don't know. With us, Beurre Bosc is one of the 



est. It has a long stem and hangs on when others go to the ground. 



Clairgeau is a good pear, and looks like Anjou, but is earlier in 



-on. 



A Farmer. — I would add Seckel. 



Another Farmer. — Is not fruit-growing the proper work of 

 the specialist ? 



Mr. .Mann. — Yes: so is anv farm work. I could never grow 

 a crop of potatoes, corn, or anything else, except I got there 

 early, at tended to it, and did it thoroughly. 



Question. — If one could get them for the expense of digging, 

 would it pay to set out apple trees that arc six inches in diameter, 

 to fill in where trees have died out? 



Mr. Witter. — Trees of that size are being set, which do well. 



