320 Bulletin 262. 



practices, although it has increased the kinds of spray mixtures used. 

 Very few of the scale-infested orchards have been treated with scale- 

 killing mixtures. Paris green with Bordeaux has been most generally 

 used. When averages are considered, there seems to be a definite rela- 

 tion between spraying and yield and income. However, this does not 

 hold with four sprayings, probably because of other disturbing factors. 

 Unsprayed orchards give an average yield of 261 bushels, with an aver- 

 age income of $45 per acre. One spraying gives 364 bushels, and an 

 income of $93 per acre. Two sprayings yield 509 bushels, and give 

 $101. Three sprayings carry the yield to 577 bushels, and the income 

 to $171. The largest number of orchards and the greatest number of 

 acres are given two sprayings per year. In well-cared-for orchards, 

 the maximum yield comes with three sprayings ; but the maximum in- 

 come follows four sprayings. 



Pruning. — In sixty-six and seven-tenths per cent of the orchards com- 

 pared as to character of pruning, the pruning is good or fair, in twenty- 

 five and three-tenths per cent it is poor or neglected, while in eight per 

 cent no pruning is done. Effective and profitable spraying is impossible 

 where insufficient pruning is done. More pruning and greater regularity 

 of the work must be adopted in order to fight successfully the serious 

 pests. 



Distance betivcen trees. — The average distance between trees is 33 8 

 feet. The favorite distance is 36 x 36. Nearly half of the orchards were 

 set from 36 x 36 to 40 x 40. In forty-seven per cent of the orchards 

 the trees are too close. 



Rented orchards. — Very few orchards have been rented. Only thir- 

 teen and three-tenths per cent have been held by tenants during recent 

 years, and of these forty-six and two-tenths per cent have been let out for 

 at least five-year periods. 



Yields. — • The average yields per acre have been : 1902, 236 bushels ; 

 1903, 197 bushels; 1904, 195 bushels; 1905, 155 bushels; 1906, 179 

 bushels. The average for the five years is 192.4 bushels. 



Prices. — The average prices per barrel have been: 1902, $2.00; 1903, 

 $1.82; 1904, $2.32; 1905, $2.18; 1906, $1.56. 



Income per acre. — The average gross incomes per acre .have been: 

 1902, $112; 1903, $129; 1904, $98; 1905, $103; 1906, $104. The general 

 average for the five years is $109.20. 



Varieties.^Ahout thirty kinds of apples are grown in the county. 

 Rhode Island Greening, Baldwin and Northern Spy are the chief vari- 

 eties. Russets, King, Tolman, Twenty-ounce and Hubbardston, how- 

 ever, are grown to considerable extent. 



