APPLES. 127 



Mr. Brand: There are only seven trees remaining- of a large or- 

 chard. That is four miles south of ine. 



Mr. Dartt: What has been the profit in j^our orchard, how much 

 per tree up to the time you cut them out? 



Mr. Brand: My own orchard has averaged one bushel. 



Mr. Dartt: A tree that does not spread its branches more than 

 four or five feet ought to bear inore than a bvishel. 



Mr. Brand: Well, mine didn't. 



Mr. Dartt: Those orchards that were closely planted paid for 

 themselves before the}^ had to be cut out. 



TREES ON THEIR OWN ROOTS. 



Mr. J, A. Sampson: I always feel interested in the culture of 

 apples; I am very fond of fruit anyway. One of the great difficul- 

 ties in planting apple trees is the lack of faith. I wish to bring up 

 the subject of trees on their own roots, whether they can be propa- 

 gated and made to be longer-lived if on their own roots than if 

 grafted. 



Mr. Brackett: I wish something would be brought out in regard 

 to the boxing of trees, and whether it is necessary to take the boxes 

 away every spring. Either boxing or wrapping with cloth. 



Mr. Harris: I think I will say a word in reply to Mr. Sampson's 

 question. It is a lamentable fact that in Minnesota trees are very 

 short-lived; a great many die within three years after they come out 

 of the nursery. I do not consider a tree in good condition if it will 

 live thirty years; I do not believe in old trees. Down East they be- 

 lieve an orchard is worth a good deal inore from eight to twenty 

 years old, and that it will pay better to put out a new orchard and 

 cut out the old. Just keep an orchard while it will bear the finest 

 fruit and have a new one coming on. It is a lamentable fact that 

 not over one in fifty trees that are sold by nurse'r3^men or their 

 agents ever lives to bear a single specimen of fruit. I do not believe 

 that ought to be so. If the people become educated so they will 

 know how to take care of trees, and the trees perish in that way, we 

 ought to have a law in Minnesota that would put the men that sold 

 those trees behind the bars at Stillwater. 



SHADING FROM THE SUN. 

 Mr. Taylor: I think I can say something that the members can 

 take home. I love to eat some nicely ripened Fameuse apples in 

 the fall. I had a tree that was planted on the north side of the build' 

 ing I used in wintering bees. That was a south windbreak, and I 

 do not raise my hand against that. This tree was shaded more than 

 many others, and after a while the others killed out, but this one 

 flourished and grew; but from ten o'clock in the day, or a little 

 earlier, it was shaded by a little building near by. A fire burned up 

 the building and the tree died down to the ground, but it grew up 

 again and commenced bearing, and I knew I could raise apples bvit 

 I must have shade on the south side. That Fameuse I must keep to 

 raise good apples as long as I live, and I have made a shelter of 

 boards so the sun cannot shine on it for four or five hours during- 

 the day. I know you can raise tender fruits that way, and I know 

 those of you who will try the experiment will like it. 



