16 Third Annual Report 



tion of the soil, fertilization and spraying-, these orchards would 

 be as productive and more so than 25 or 30 years ago. It is not 

 right that a number of old orchards should be so neglected and 

 simply left to breed diseases and insect pests. I am sure the 

 quality and quantity of the product of fruit in Grand Isle County 

 could be more than doubled if the old orchards were taken better 

 care of. Notwithstanding this neglect on the part of the farmers, 

 the total output this season, being an off year, is creditable. 

 There were shipped, as nearly as I can find out, from the three 

 or four towns in the county from 27,000 to 30,000 barrels of 

 apples, mostly to the New York and Boston markets. Isle La 

 Motte turned out 10,000 barrels; Alburg 2000; 1000 to 1200 

 were shipped from North Hero and 1500 from South Hero, 

 including Grand Isle; prices have ranged from $1.50 to $5.50 

 a barrel. I find a tendency among the farmers to grow too many 

 kinds of apples, too many sorts. In loading one car of apples 

 that I bought in North Hero I had something like 28 or 30 

 varieties in that one car. Now, too many of those varieties were 

 of the $1.50 kinds. If they had all been Spies they might have 

 been worth $5.50. 



We have one of the finest markets in the country ; buyers 

 come here along this Champlain valley from all sections of the 

 country ; we don't have to seek the buyers, they seek us, and I 

 am surprised that with a market right here at our very doors 

 there are so many farmers that can't see it is for their best in- 

 terests to set out a few more apple trees and take better care of 

 what they already have. 



MR. KINNEY. 



Our report from Grand Isle County speaks of spraying 

 and of backsliding from its use. I would like to correct that. 

 I don't think, from my observation, that spraying of Grand 

 Isle orchards is on the downward road ; I don't think we are 

 backsliding at all. I think it is one of the most important mat- 

 ters we can discuss and that we are continuing along the line. 

 Some of the best spraying apparatus has been purchased in 

 Grand Isle County and used. We gave our attention a few 

 years agO' to spraying for the apple scab and it accomplished 

 the desired results for that trouble, and then the Lord seemed 

 to step in and help us out with atmospheric conditions so there 

 was no more apple scab in our county, and our apples were 

 clean again. Those of us who sprayed so thoroughly for the 

 apple scab have not given it up but there is not as much of it 

 done for that purpose as before. I think next year there will 

 be more spraying done in Grand Isle County than ever before ; 



