No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 575 



by limiting this work to young trees only, and others take the 

 medium ground that pruning should be done only when necessary. 



There is a remarkable unanimity of opinion on the subject of thin- 

 ning trees, all but two replying that this work can be done profitably. 



The necessity of keeping bees in the orchard is still a mooted 

 question, although the majority agree that bees play an important 

 part in the pollenation of the blossoms. 



In order to learn the general sentiment prevailing throughout 

 the State, the question was asked: "What has been the effects of 

 experimental and demonstration work as conducted by State Col- 

 lege and the Department of Agriculture?" and the replies received 

 are "Good," from twenty-five reports; "Awakened general interest 

 in fruit growing," by ten; "Admirable," by five; "Very good," by 

 six; "Very excellent," by five; "Many have profited," by three; and 

 other answers are "w^onderful and surprising," "Eemai-kable," 

 "Aroused wonderful interest," "Made fruit growers sit up and take 

 notice," etc., while one replied that "It has made a corpse walk and 

 jump." 



One correspondent objects to what has been and is being done in 

 this direction, by saying that it is not the proper work of any State, 

 or National Department, to do propaganda work in any particular 

 industry. The reply to this objection is obvious, and that is that 

 so long as the fruit trees of the State are threatened with extermi- 

 nation because of the failure to apply w^ell known scientific treat- 

 ment, or the State has thousands of acres of lands highly adapted 

 to fruit growing, some Department of the State Government can 

 well devote a small part of its revenue to disseminate this knowledge 

 without laying itself open to the charge of paternalism. The fact 

 that the Western states are shipjjing fine fruits into Pennsylvania, 

 which have taken the place in all good markets of home grown 

 fruits, should arose a feeling of pride in our own natural advantages 

 and abilities, and this I believe is being done. 



THE VALUE OF THE PKOPAGATION OF FEUIT TREES FROM 



SPECIAL SELECTIONS WITH REFERENCE TO CON- 



TITUTIONAL VIGOR AND PRODUCTIVENESS 



By GEORGE T. POWELL, N&w York City. 



It certainly gives me great pleasure to again stand before a Penn- 

 sylvania audience. It was my privilege between 1897 and 1904 to 

 meet with many audiences in your State, called for the discussion of 

 agriculture. I have attended some years every Farmers' Institute 

 in your State, and have frequently spoken before your State Board 

 of Agriculture. I remember on one occasion in speaking before the 

 State Board of Agriculture on "Good Roads." When I finished, a 

 member of the Board, who was a very intelligent old German farmer, 



37 



