204 State Horticultural Society. 



The apple, pear and quince will require about the same treatment, 

 and these rules are to be followed with some modification, perhaps, for 

 different soils and locations. Select a healthy tree or two of each vari- 

 ety, which would seem to justify the experiment, because of its favor- 

 able location, or congenial soil, or peculiar surroundings, or its previous 

 good crops; trees which have given the largest size, richest color, and 

 best quality of fruits, and use these individual trees for this work. 



Plow shallow or dig about such trees as far as the branches reach, 

 early this spring; cultivate and hoe about them once every two weeks 

 during the whole spring and summer, or . mulch the trees heavily, if 

 you prefer, as far as branches extend after fertilizer is applied. Fer- 

 tilize these trees about April ist: 7 to 10 years, with i lb. of muriate of 

 potash and ^ lb. nitrate of soda; 10 to 15 years, with 2 lbs. muriate 

 of potash and i lb. nitrate of soda; 15 to 20 years, with 4 lbs. of muriate 

 ■of potash and 2 lbs. nitrate of soda. 



Before the jjuds start spray these trees thoroughly, if possible, with 

 I lb. of blue vitriol to 10 gallons of water; or, dust them twice with 

 20 lbs. of air-slacked lime and i lb. of sulphur when the trees are wet 

 with rain, so that the trees and ground are' white with the lime. As 

 soon as the blossoms fall, spray with Bordeaux and Paris green or dust 

 with 20 lbs. lime, i lb. Paris green, i lb. sulphur. Repeat this every two 

 weeks until they ripen. 



As soon as fruits are well set and the surplus dropped off, about 

 June 1st, girdle the trees or branches by taking a ring of bark off en- 

 tirely around the tree, from, i to 4 inches, depending upon the size of 

 the branch or tree. This girdling will not injure the trees, but only 

 check their growth. Then at once thin out the fruits so they will not 

 "be closer than 10 inches. Another thinning may be advisable later if 

 we wish to secure abnormal specimens. Put some of these single speci- 

 mens in paper bags, fastening with a pin and cutting the corners off of 

 the bags so they will hold no water ; or, cover some of the branches with 

 mosquito netting. If fruits become very large, then place a sling under 

 them to hold them on the trees ; make it of cloth, fastened at the corners 

 with cords and tied to the branch above the specimen. Where a bunch 

 of fruit is very choice and the cluster is a notable one, then save the 

 bunch or cluster and send them to the places appointed, well wrapped 

 and packed in cotton. 



If the orchard has been in clover, and is now in clover, then use the 

 fertilizer and the girdling and thinning and other helps, especially if the 

 trees have been giving good crops of fruit, and make a notation of 

 which gives the best results. These fruits should be gathered when 



