24 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



a nine-year average of 488 barrels. The annual gross receipts have aver- 

 aged ^1,102.93. 



This orchard passed, not only from my supervision, but proper care, 

 in 1911, and retrogression began at once, although the 1912 crop ex- 

 ceeded in quantity and equaled the receipts of the nine-year average. In 

 1913, however, had the former treatment of 1903 to 1911 been followed, 

 the crop would have exceeded the average and the returns been fully 

 $500.00 above the same, while the actual ones were not one-half the 

 average either in quantity or receipts. Its present owner has, however, 

 seen a "Great light" and am glad to say that during the past November 

 and December the orchard has been plowed and covered with a good 

 coat of stable manure. 



Orchard No. 3, contains 160 trees, was about 40 years of age, and con- 

 sists of the following varieties: 60 Baldwin, 15 Greening, 25 Russett, 

 20 Hubbardston, 10 Northern Spy, 10 Twenty Ounce, and 20 assorted 

 varieties; soil shallow, stony loam with clay sub-soil. This orchard 

 came into my possession late in the fall of 1905. My men were imme- 

 diately set at work, and it was thoroughly pruned and ploughed during 

 the month of November that year. During the eight years prior to 1905, 

 it had produced one fair crop, one half -crop; two crops of 100 barrels 

 and three or four years practically nothing, not exceeding for the entire 

 eight years, an annual crop of over 125 barrels. The farm was regarded 

 as of little value and its tenants had barely made a livelihood. The 

 orchard however, was a fair one and only required a chance to make 

 good returns. I have marketed from this orchard as follows: 



1906—412 barrels. 1909—490 barrels. 



1907—443 barrels. 1910—375 barrels. 



1908—400 barrels. 1911—348 barrels. 



a six-vear average of 411 barrels. The annual receipts have averaged 

 11,041.23. 



Crop for 1912, exceeded the average and receipts equalled the same. 

 1913—407 barrels. Receipts, barreled stock $1,421.50 ; bulk stock $193.87 

 total, 11,625.37. I might add that the 1913 crop would have been fully 

 500 barrels had not nearly 300 bushels of Hubbardstons dropped and 

 were drawn to evaporator. 



Orchard No. 4, contains 130 trees, perhaps 60 or more years old and 

 consists of the following varieties: 25 Greening, 35 Baldwin, 35 Russett, 

 6 Northern Spy, 15 fall varieties and 14 assorted winter varieties. Soil 

 sandy loam ; drainage good. In order to purchase Orchard No. 3 I was 

 forced to lease for a term of five years, the farm upon which this orchard 

 was located. The prospect of every reclaiming or renovating it so as 

 to be profitable was not at all promising. Indeed, it was questiouable 

 whether I could ever get any fruit from it. The orchard had, practically, 

 been abandoned and its only recognized value locally, was the amount of 

 stove wood it contained. Before properly breaking it up it was necessary 

 to grub and bushook the entire orchard to rid it of the blackberry 

 bushes, sumac and other growth which completely covered the ground. 

 In fact, there seemed to be more truth than poetry in the advice 

 one of my neighbors gave me at the time we were clearing the ground 

 preparatory to ploughing. "Well, Doctor," he remarked, "it is none of 

 my business what you do with your money, but take my advice, cut 



