172 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



in fact I have about four acres, and have gathered over three hundred bushels 

 from a little less tlian one half acre. I think that for orchards of large growth, 

 that manuring and pasturing with hogs and sheep may be substituted for cul- 

 tivation to quite an extent, successfully. 



Pnming. 



I can see no reason why a person with his mind established as to what he 

 wishes in regard to style in an orchard may not succeed. 



In regard to heading, I prefer a medium height. If started too low they in- 

 terfere with cultivation and the general appearance is not pleasing. If too high, 

 they are more liable to lean to the east or northeast, and by thus exposing, the 

 stem or stock soon become affected ; borers intrude, and the result is a failure 

 for the tree, and also adding to the labor of pruning and gathering the fruit. 

 There is a liability to leave too many main branches in starting a head. "We 

 are impressed with the idea that there is plenty of room, but afterward find it 

 necessary to remove large limbs, which should be avoided, if possible. It seems 

 quite essential that pruning should be attended to each year, removing surplus, 

 twigs and by such attention avoiding the necessity of removing large limbs and 

 cutting away too much at any one time. I have usually pruned from March to 

 June, and in addition, attention should be given every few days to pinching off 

 shoots, clipping back straggling branches, with a vigilant eye for insects. 



Varieties. 



I suppose that the most of us have in view, first, the health and comfort 

 of our families, and therefore, in the selection of varieties, we should take 

 into consideration those best adapted for the family. I will name a few that 

 I consider good : Yellow Harvest, Kcd Astracan, Sweet and Tart Bough, 

 Lowell, Maiden Blush, Twenty Ounce, Fameuse or Snow, Greening, Tallman- 

 Sweet, and for late keeping, Baldwin, Northern Spy, Roxbury Russet, Golden 

 Russet, Red Canada. 



For market profit we need but few varieties, and they should be of the very 

 best in regard to hardiness, growth, bearing and keeping qualities. I think we 

 should take more interest in preparing suitable fruit cellars for the purpose of 

 keeping apples through winter. In Eaton county our common cellars under 

 our dwellings, arranged for the protection of vegetables, are rarely what they 

 should be. My main profit from tiie sale of apples has been from my best keep- 

 ing varieties. Two years ago the coming March, I sold apples in Chicago at 

 fil.GO per barrel by the car load ; in April I sold for 81. 'JO by the car load. In 

 May I sold for $4.75, realizing S4.7o, less the commission for selling, with less 

 waste from the last shipment in taking from the cellar than the first. I find that 

 it costs me no more to raise and handle a bushel of apples of a variety that will 

 average me in market one year, with another $1.00 per bushel, than one of the 

 standard varieties equally as desirable excej)t in the keeping quality, that will 

 average forty cents. If there is a net profit of fifteen cents on a bushel of apples 

 at forty cents, we can readily see there is five times the profit, at least, on a 

 bushel at §1.00, and there would usually be quite a per cent, to add in handling. 

 In one variety you would receive SI. 00 for 2^ bushels, in the other case, one 

 for a bushel. We can not reasonably expect to succeed in keeping fruit, unless 

 we exercise great care in gathering and handling. It will not do to neglect the 

 gathering; very many leave them too long on the tree. My experience is that 

 with some varieties, if left on the tree ten days in autumn after they should be 



