50« ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Ofif. Doc. 



several less desirable kinds, which will hang on the tree are being 

 recommended for planting in this district, _ , 



If, by the judicious use of nitrogen as a fertilizer and Bordeaux or 

 some other fungicide as a summer spray, we can hold the fruit of 

 this desirable variety on the tree until the first week of October, the 

 Baldwin trees already growing in the orchards will be made profit- 

 able. More Baldwin trees will be planted and King and Spy will be 

 added to the list — for with very slight variation of soil conditions 

 the two latter will succeed wherever Baldwin does. We know that 

 York [m{)erial, Grimes' Golden and Htaymans' VVinesap develop 

 their highest qualities in this region. If we can add Baldwin, Spy and 

 King we will have six splendid varieties to select from. It seems to 

 me the York Imperial belt should very soon develop into the most 

 famous apple orchard in the world. 



If the future observations of Prof. Stewart shall confirm the im- 

 pression already formed, namely, that nitrogen properly applied as 

 a fertilizer will delay the ripening of apples, and if that with the aid 

 of a proper fungicide as a summer spray, will keep them on the tree 

 in southern Pennsylvania until mid October, by which time the sun 

 will have painted them the proper color, this one discovery will be 

 worth a hundredfold more than the entire cost of the experiment. 



Another fact has been brought out by these experiments: In the 

 older orchards, especially those which had not in recent years been 

 well cared for, nearly all the feeding roots were found to be outside 

 the spread of the branches. Many of them extending forty feet and 

 more from the trunk. It will be well for the owners of old orchards 

 to bear this in mind and in their efforts to bring the trees back to 

 profitable bearing, place their fertilizers where they will do the 

 most good. When placed near the trunk they are of very little value, 

 when placed under the outside branches they are partially available, 

 but when scattered between the rows outside the branches the trees 

 get the full benefit of them. 



In my last report I expressed a hope that in the near future we 

 might have an investigation started to ascertain the effect of different 

 types of soil and subsoil on the several varieties of fruit, for the 

 purpose of enabling us to plant the right tree in the right place. 

 I am glad to be able to announce that in response to the urgent 

 request of Dr. Hunt, Director of our Experiment Station, the De- 

 partment at Washington detailed Mr. H. J. Wilder of the Bureau of 

 Soils to work in Pennsylvania. The Department loaned Mr. W^ilder 

 to our Experiment Station for one year, and he has been at work 

 in this State all summer. Mr. Wilder has made a good start. He 

 secured and tabulated much useful information; he has done well 

 for the time spent, but his work is only begun. Our people are only 

 beginning to appreciate the value of it, therefore it seems to me 

 that it would be a calamity to have this work stopped at the close 

 of the year, 



I would suggest that at the proper time this Board pass a strong 

 resolution urging the Department at Washington to continue his 

 leave of absence, and another asking our Experiment Station to con- 

 tinue this work, and also to continue the orchard experiments so 

 ably conducted by Prof. Stewart ; in both of these lines we have made 

 a decided advance. 



Experiments with various fungicides and insecticides as summer 

 sprays have been conducted by Prof. Stewart at our Experiment Sta- 



