FORTIETH ANNUAL REPORT. 41 



years with an option to renew for five more, no damage to be done to 

 tlie property. 



That was back in 1908. 



The Chicagoan got busy. He began to improve the trees. In 1909 he 

 quit even, but this fall he sold over .fl.OOO worth of apples off this self- 

 same orchard, and it is rumored that the farmer went out behind his 

 barn and kicked himself several times in sheer desperation. He would 

 like to have that contract set aside, but there is no chance. 



In Branch and Calhoun counties several abandoned apple orchards 

 have been picked up and rejuvenated with the result that they are now 

 profitable. The good work is spreading. 



MARKET RIGHT AT HAND. 



Hon. C. E. Monroe of South Haven summed up the whole matter of 

 INIichigan's ability to retain first place as a fruit state when he said: 

 "Michigan api)le growers have the market right at hand for their pro- 

 duct. Michigan apples have the flavor. 



"When you have a thing to sell a profitable market is of the first im- 

 portance. 



"When you eat an apple it is the flavor or taste that appeals to you. 

 Color, or bloom may count, but you can't eat that. For those reasons I 

 believe that Michigan is and always will be the ideal fruit state of the 

 Union." 



DISCUSSfON. 



Q. I would like to have Miss Taylor tell us about priming. 



Miss Taylor — Where do you want me to begin? 



Q. The general system by which you prune. 



A. We do not prune much on the apples ; our ai)ples have been 

 pruned years before; and there was very little pruning done in the or- 

 chard because it was not thought it was in need of it. 



Q. Do you do any thinning of your ap])les? 



A. The apples set very full, but there were so many that dropped ofl' 

 at the time of our June drop that I thought that nature was going to take 

 care of them. My York Imperials were not thinned in this way so as 

 that the thinning Avas of much value. Otherwise the trees thinned them- 

 selves this year. 



Q. Do you think the York Imperial a good apple? 



A. If they are not too full on the tree they will bear all right. Our 

 orchard has borne too heavily on alteniative years. We will have to 

 thin on these alternate years. When they bear too hea\ily they are 

 small in size. 



Q. How about the quality? 



A. The quality is good. It is a late keeper. Of course you know that 

 when you don't have other ap])les, some apples which Ave would not con- 

 sider as the best, we relish and call pretty good. They are not ready to 

 eat at this time of the year but are all right late in the spring. 



Q. Are thev about the same qualitv as the Ben Davis? 



A. A little' better. 



