622 BOAKD OF AGRICULTURE. 



to settle down again into close relation with the underlying soil. I 

 think the best corn growers in the state are following the method of 

 repeatedly stirring the ground during dry weather; shallow but frequent 

 cultivation. 



Mr. Stanley: I would like to hear from Mr. Harvey on this ques- 

 tion. 



Mr. Harvey: I do not have anything to add, except to say that I 

 agree with what has been said on this subject. 



Mr. Henry: It is very hard to convince some of oui old farmers that 

 it is a good thing to cultivate with a small toothed cultivator. They 

 would be using the wide cultivator from daylight to dark and think it is 

 the best. Is this not on account of the fact that in their younger days 

 they planted corn deeper, and for that reason the roots were deeper, 

 and they could use the large cultivator to better advantage? I wonder 

 if there is anything in this? 



Prof. Latta: Is it not that with the better soil the plants were better 

 able to stand it? 



Mr. Henry: Yes, possibly that is true. 



Prof. Latta: This experiment with the cans demonstrated that if the 

 soil is let alone the water evaporates from it much quicker than if you 

 kept stirring the soil. This principle has been well established, that 

 you want to keep the ground thoi-oughly pulverized. Keep it in that form 

 by frequent cultivation. 



We have three topics this afternoon, "The Care of the Bearing 

 Orchard," "Marketing and Storing," and "Enemies of the Apple and 

 their Treatment," besides some resolutions. We have two gentlemen 

 to speak on the "Care of the Bearing Orchard." I think I shall take the 

 liberty of saying that each of these men shall speak fifteen minutes 

 instead of twenty. We have used some time with the question that was 

 left over. Mr. Van Deman will speak first. He is from Washington. 



Mr. Van Deman: Mr. Chairman, Ladles and Gentlemen.— I suppose 

 in all the lists of horticultural subjects there is no one which deserves 

 more thorough attention than the care of the bearing orchard. Now in 

 practical life there is every sort of treatment for the apple orchard from 

 letting them absolutely alone after the hour the trees are planted until 

 they are finally vanished or vanquished by vreeds. We have in this 

 State, and in a great many states of the Union, a great many old orch- 

 ards, and I think perhaps we ought to mention this first. There are a 

 great many old bearing orchards that have been neglected until they are 

 absolutely worthless, or nearly so, and in my opinion there are a great 

 manv of these that it would be bettor to rnl down and make into firo- 



