No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 505 



slaughter houses, dairies, creameries, and every place and vehicle in 

 which food for men is placed for transportation or sold. It also 

 provides for the proper and cleanly condition of any dispensary, 

 hotel or eating house where food is sold. It makes it possible for 

 officers in enforcing this law to visit all such places and see that 

 the plumbing and drainage are proper and that the places are kept 

 clean, properly lighted, etc. It also provides for protection from 

 flies, dust and dirt, and that operatives, employes, clerks and any 

 persons who handle foods in any way, shall be cleanly, and to be 

 free from any disease, a number of which are enumerated. 



I have been told by the official who has this law in charge that 

 it has worked remarkably well and has been the result of causing 

 several ice cream dispensaries and small restaurants to practically 

 close down until the sanitary conditions were such as to warrant 

 patronage. The Health Department of our State would of course 

 control this matter to some extent, but I thoroughly believe we should 

 have a strictly sanitary law which would correct these evils and 

 prevent such unsanitary conditions as are too often observed in 

 places where food for human consumption is offered for sale. 



REPORT OF THE POMOLOGIST 



By GABRIEL HIESTER, Harrishurg, Pa. 



We are at last making some progress in the science of growing 

 fruit. The orchard experiments that have been running four years 

 under the supervision of Prof. Stewart of the State Experiment Sta- 

 tion are beginning to show results. For instance, it has been found 

 that nitrogen applied in the form of nitrate of soda after the fruit 

 has formed, in June, increases the size of the fruit, as well as the 

 growth of the tree, but at the same time it reduces the color of red 

 apples. This loss of color in Prof. Stewart's opinion is caused by 

 delayed ripening. Again, it has been found by practical fruit grow- 

 ers that fungicidal sprays applied under proper weather conditions 

 will cause the foliage to remain fresh and green until nipped by the 

 frost, and when the leaves are kept in a healthy condition late in 

 the fall fruit is delayed in ripening. This may mean a great deal 

 to the orchardists of southern Pennsylvania, especially to the region 

 known as the York Im^jerial belt, namely, that section of the Blue 

 Ridge extending from the Maryland line to the upper end of Dauphin 

 county. 



The Baldwin apple is generally recognized as the best business 

 apple ; it is the standard by which other varieties are measured — -as 

 to vigor of tree and hardiness, quality of fruit and the price it will 

 bring in the general market. There are large areas of ideal Bald- 

 win soil in this York Imperial belt, and many thousand Baldwin 

 trees of bearing age. The variety, however, has one serious defect, 

 owing to climatic conditions the fruit drops early in the fall, and 

 those remaining on the trees do not keep well. For this reason 



