INTRODUCTION. 



GENERAL METHOD OF WORK. 



The field work. The field work was done between June 10 and Sep- 

 tember 12, 1903. Nearly all of this time was spent in the apple orchards. 



In Walworth township, 

 which is in the center 

 of the west part of the 

 county, every orchard as 

 large as one acre was ex- 

 amined. In nearly every 

 case the owner was inter- 

 viewed for statistics on 

 variety, age, fertilization, 

 tillage, spraying, past 

 troubles, yields, market, 

 price, etc. The orchard 

 was examined in order to 

 determine the site, aspect, 

 area, distance between 

 trees, present treatment, 

 present condition of health 



and crop, pruning, diseases, insects, etc. A three-foot soil auger was 

 a part of the outfit, and frequent borings were made to determine the 

 physical condition of the soil, texture, structure and the drainage con- 

 ditions. Samples for laboratory analyses were taken of the different 

 soil types. In short, an effort was made to study whatever factors 

 enter into the successful production of apples. All the information 

 obtained was entered in the blank report provided for that purpose (see 

 Fig. 38). These reports are preserved in the Department of Horticulture 

 for reference for the future worker and .are, of course, not open to the 

 public. The position and approximate size of each orchard with its 

 number is shown on the map prepared by the United States Geological 



241 



FIG. 37. Map showing the location of Wayne and 

 Orleans counties, New York. 



