Winter Meeting. 359 



orchard and who desires to do what he has to do as effectively as possi- 

 ble, and at the same time as economically. To such an orchardist I 

 turn with strongest sympathy and with keenest desire to aid. 



We must at all times consider the orchard as a factory, that nni5.t 

 be cared for accordingly; it is a factory without roof or walls for pro- 

 tection, and is at any time liable to interruption. No one should enter 

 the orchard business without preparation for emergencies and willing- 

 ness to take risks that naturally come in his line. He should be able 

 to cope with them. The questions of labor, system and methods must 

 be dealt with by every orchardist. To build up a business, he must 

 expect to meet difficulties and should equip himself for them. 



The person starting in the orchard business, to be on the safe side, 

 should set aside an amount of capital equal to his initial investment, to 

 be used for working capital in the purchase of implements, in replacing 

 trees, labor and other necessary expenditures. He must not expect side 

 crops grown in the orchard to pay the expense of running the orchard 

 until it comes into bearing. No crop, unless it be strawberries, should 

 be grown for harvesting in the orchard. 



When, at the age of seven or ten years, the orchard begins to pay 

 for itself, the first question to be considered is spraying. Only the 

 most economical method should be considered, and the high power spray 

 has shown itself to be the cheapest in the end. Ordinary hand-power 

 machines are inadequate for large orchards, the right pressure only 

 being obtained with the gasoline engine. This method of spraying re- 

 duces the work fully one-third. The initial cost must, in a measure, be 

 disregarded, for the high quality of fruit now produced in our large 

 orchards necessitates the use of the best tools and work of the most care- 

 ful sort. 



Manure is the orchard's most important fertilizer. Purchase it 

 from the nearest shipping point to your orchard, and apply liberally. 

 Up to the present time, my use of manure has been largely along ex- 

 perimental lines, but so far I have been successful. I purchase ground 

 rock phosphate in large quantities and apply with the manure. This 

 year is the first time I have tried rock phosphate, but I saw some ben- 

 efits from its use. The real value of this fertilizer is not realized the 

 first year, so I expect greater returns next season. Phosphorous is what 

 the plants need. Trees need it more than grain crops, for it is essential 

 in the production of fruit and seed. One cause of fruit dropping is 

 incomplete development of fruit. The orchard is a factory and must 

 have raw material continually coming in through the back door to be 

 able to put the finished product out of the front door. The question 



