206 ANNUAL REPORT OF Off. Doc. 



MODERN TREATMENT OF THE APPLE ORCHARD. 



Br Pkop. J. P. Stewart, state College, Pa. 



Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: I am sorry that Professor 

 Butz is not here to present this subject to you, both because I had 

 to take it up on short notice, and because I am a new man in the 

 State, and can only give you impressions. But there is one com- 

 forting thing about it, these impressions are all contained on this 

 small piece of paper. 



In the first place, there are many things that we don't know about 

 apple orcharding. There are some things that we do know, and a 

 good number that we thought we knew, but are just coming to find 

 out how little we really do know about them. I am sorry that I 

 am unable to make this topic more of a crystallization of opinion for 

 the benefit of Institute workers. It is just possible that my discus- 

 sion will cloud instead of clear the horizon. I shall try, however, 

 to say nothing but what seems at present to be the truth in the 

 matter, and I believe that the truth will not hurt us. 



One of the things that we know is that the apple is very largely 

 planted; that it takes first rank among fruits in America, both in 

 the number of trees and the number of bushels. We also know 

 that the financial returns are very good where apple orcharding is 

 being followed as a business. In Western New York two hundred 

 dollars per acre is not an unusual return, and, from all appearances, 

 we have localities here in Pennsylvania which are fully equal to 

 Western New York. Yet I have seen within the last two days hun- 

 dreds of acres of such soil still being farmed in the ordinary grain 

 crops, where they are yielding such small returns that the owners 

 are willing to take -fSO to |:f!0 per acre for the land. Surely one of 

 the best things we can do for Pennsylvania agriculture is to direct 

 effort into more profitable lines. 



Pennsylvania is probably as well adapted for apple culture as any 

 other state in America, The reasons for that are simply three: First, 

 its location with reference to markets. We are within easy reach 

 of all the large fruit centers, besides having unrivaled home markets 

 in the many mining and manufacturing towns. Second, the climate 

 and soil are right. The successful experience in the states on all 

 sides of us show this; and, third, the succes of home orchards 

 in this State, which in 1S90 placed Pennsylvania second in yield of 

 apples. Yet, in spite of all this, apple orcharding is not taken up 

 as extensively as it sli.ould be. The owners of apple orchards feel 

 that they have so many enemies to contend with and so long to wait 

 for a crop. There is the root rot. the borers, the scab, the codling 

 moth, the curculio, the scale, and unfortunately one or two others 

 that I have recently found, but cannot name, because there has been 

 nothing published on them. We admit that these things are likely 

 to give a man the belief that apple orcharding is rather risky. But 

 we are not intending to give up on that account, and with the right 

 kind of men — men not afraid to wort and learn and wait, the out- 

 come will take care of itself. 



