502 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



ter flavor. If tlii.s view is correct, the difference is certainly not very 

 great. I once made a test of the flavor by x^assiug out a lot of Bald- 

 win apples to a society. Each member tested two or more and re- 

 corded the number of the one that he thought best. The apples 

 were numbered so that the members did not know which ones were 

 from sod orchards. When I came to sum up the results there did 

 not appear to be any decided vote in favor of either kind. 



There is also a common opinion that apples from sod orchards 

 keep better. This is probably sometimes true. The larger apples 

 from the tilled orchards are not likely to be quite as firm, but this 

 larger size is a desirable feature and may oiiset any inferiority in 

 keeping. Apple buyers frequently discuss the question, sometimes 

 favoring one kind of treatment and sometimes the other. But more 

 conclusive than their discussions or than farmers' opinions are the 

 actual prices paid. It will be seen by Table III that the tilled or- 

 chards exceed the untitled by a larger per cent, in income than in 

 yield. That is, the average price per bushel is higher from tilled 

 than fi'om sod orchards. 



I do not wish to convey the idea that tillage is the all important 

 question in orchardiiig. It is one of a number of essentials. One- 

 eighth of the trees in these counties were killed and one-fourth 

 damaged by lack of drainage. Too close planting has seriously 

 damaged large numbers of orchards. Lack of fertility has damaged 

 others. In 1904: in Orleans county the unsprayed orchards overaged 

 |!)2 per acre in income, the ones sprayed three times averaged |139 

 jier acre. Proper packing and marketing are other vital points. The 

 ultimate death of nearly all apple trees in New York comes from 

 improper pruning. The decayed trunks and consequently broken 

 trees are usually the result of the system of pruning and the neglect 

 of wounds. All these and more are the factors that enter into 

 successful fruit growing. 



THE PRESIDENT. — I am sorry we cannot give you time to ques- 

 tion Professor Warren just now. We are going to go through 

 with our program, and if you have any questions to ask, we will 

 give you an opportunity to take up the subject later. 



Just n(>w, I am going to do something not on the program. I 

 want every one to recognize Doctor Hunt when they see him. I 

 want you to know him, and I am going to ask him to come to the 

 platform, and say a few words as to what our experiment station 

 is going to do for us. 



