132 State Horticultural Society. 



cultivated in. At the end of twenty vears this orchard had net eight 

 hundred dollars per acre. The best crop sold at two hundred dollars per 

 acre, and the average was forty dollars per acre per annum for the 

 entire period of twenty years from time of planting. During the same 

 time we were growing a few acres of budded peaches, which we gave 

 continuous and clean cultivation from planting up to old age (eighteen 

 years) when we 'cut it down. This orchard resisted the cold and pro- 

 duced crops of fine fruit beyond any of the orchards, of same varieties, 

 in the same locality that were not cultivated. The fruit was larger and 

 better, and sold for much higher prices, the best crop netting three hun- 

 dred dollars per acre. In support of my own practice, I desire to sub- 

 mit the experience of others. Last year (1902) a reliable, and large 

 buyer of apples, from one of our Eastern states, told me tliat in the 

 pursuit of his business in his native state, some years ago. he went to 

 a farmer wdiom he knew had a commercial orchard of twenty-five acres, 

 trees thirteen years old. When he inquired wdiat he w^anted for his 

 apples, the farmer replied in an angry tone, '"Apples the mischief, haint 

 got any ; blamed orchard is no account, never bore and never will. The 

 pesky tree agents had better never come about me again, with any of 

 their fine spim lingo about money in apples. I tell you sir it is all stuff 

 and humbug, I am going to cut my orchard down and clean up the 

 ground for crops that will pay." When at last for a much needed supply 

 of wind he closed his billings gate of abuse against the tree vender, the 

 nurseryman, and the apple industry. The apple buyer, cooly inquired 

 what he would be willing to take for a lease of five years on the orchard 

 "spot cash." '"Four hundred and fifty dollars." "All right," said the 

 apple buyer, and the deal was closed and the money paid. Now this 

 orchard was on fairly good hill land, had been cultivated while young 

 to give it a start, and then, like many others, was sown to grass and 

 left to make its own way as best it could. The apple merchant broke up 

 the sod, pruned the trees, sprayed once before blooming, and three times 

 after blooming, continued to cultivate and care for the orchard and 

 keep it in first-ciass condition from year to year, and now for the result : 

 He sold the first croo for two thousand and eight hundred dollars : the sec- 

 ond crop for two thousand and two hundred dollars, the third crop for 

 one thousand and one hundred dollars ; total amount for the three crops, 

 six thousand and one hundred dollars ! and two years to report on. My 

 informant requested me not to give the names of parties to this contract, 

 "For," said he, "if that farmer ever finds out just what I really made 

 out of his orchard it would kill him stone dead !" 



Along in the early nineties a friend requested me to go out with 



