248 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



none last year. For some years he has manured the ground all over heavily 

 once in three years. lie mulches also part of the time ^vith cho])pcd apple 

 trimmings, brush, and an abundance of straw. He plows about once in three 

 years, and prefers at that time a heavy dressing of horse manure and saw- 

 dust, the greater proportion of manure td'thc sawdust, the better it suits him. 

 For some years he has not been able to fill his orders for apples. One of the 

 chief reasons is tliat he raises a good deal of line fruit, and never ships any but 

 first class extra. 



He prunes the center of the trees, making them very open to let in the sun. 

 This may do in the mild winters and cool summers of South Haven, but the 

 committee object to such practice in most localities, and believe that oven in 

 South H.iven a top less thinned in the center would be preferable. The limbs 

 are started five feet from the ground, ^^'ith their heavy crops this does not 

 seem too high, for even then the limbs bend to the ground. 



The codling moth is kept in check l)y tlie use of cloths in the crotches of the 

 trees, by hogs and sheep. The latter have never gnawed the bark of his large 

 trees. He is also making some experiments in reference to killing the moths or 

 in keeping thetn away from tlie trees. He is not yet sufficiently satisfied in the 

 results to permit a report to be made. 



A COXTKAST — GOOD VERSUS J'-Al) ,MAXAGEMEXT. 



In all our travels wo saw notliing more worthy of notice than the contrast 

 about to be mentioned. It is one every orciiardist of Michigan would do well 

 to think about. 



Adjoining the famous orchard of Mr. Bailey is another, separated only by a 

 line fence. The soil is the same : the trees were of the same varieties aiul were 

 set at the same time, and all in both orchards treated alike for the lirst few 

 years. "We have stated how Mr. Bailey treats his trees. The owner of the 

 other orchard has used no manure about the trees. He has not cultivated the 

 land. Tiie trees have stood in the grass. They are mossy, with yellow leaves, 

 troubled with borers, and make a slow growth. Last year, when nearly everybody 

 had plenty of fruit and to spare, this orchard bore but few apples and they 

 were hardly Avorth gathering, Avhile this year it is hardly necessary to say that 

 there was scarcely a decent apple to be seen. 



In the neglected orchard we measured an average tree of Xorthern Spy. 

 The diameter of the top was about fourteen feet, the circumference of the 

 trunk nineteen inches; while in Mr. Bailey's orchard, a Spy of the same age 

 had a top twenty-two feet in diameter and a trunk twenty-seven inches in cir- 

 cumference. Both the trees had been set seventeen years. AVe were unable to 

 learn how many apples this well-carcd-for tree produced, but last year it hung 

 loaded v.-ith fine fruit. 



Another Spy near these trees was tliree years old when set out, and had been 

 standing 20 j'cars. Its circumference of trunk was thirty-eight inches, the 

 diameter of the top thirty-five feet. Two years ago it bore 28 basliels of num- 

 ber one apples, and this year contains all the tree is able to hold. Close to it 

 was a tree of Ilhode Island Greening of tlie same age, which bore two years ago 

 30 bushels of choice fruit. Tlie circumference of the latter trunk was forty- 

 live inches and tiie diameter of tlie top forty feet. One limb spread out twenty- 

 two feet, thus occupying, after 20 years, all the ground and still demanding 

 more in some directions. 



Mr. Bailev has no secrets in regard to tlie management of his trees. If we 



