bearing of our trees. I think the great trouble with many 

 of us fruit growers, especially in the past, has been that we 

 have been looking to one factor to solve all of our orchard 

 problems. In other words, Ave have been extremists along 

 different lines. We have gotten the idea into our heads 

 that by pruning a certain way we were to get the desired re- 

 f.ults in the quality of our fruit and quantit.y, and then when 

 we took up spraying, thorough spraying, it was spraying,and 

 that was to solve all our problems, and then the question of 

 what system of cultivation, culture or tillage should we 

 practise, and we got the idea, from the West, possibly, that 

 intensive cultivation would solve all the problems connected 

 with the commercial orchard, etc., etc. So we have drifted 

 from one to another until a great many of us have become 

 lost as to just what we should do in the next move to bring 

 about the desired results we have been so long working for. 

 Now, as the President has said, if I do not make myself 

 heard in the back of the room, I will thank you to call my 

 attention to it. Possibly I might get on the table. (Laugh- 

 ter.) 



So let us this afternoon consider some of the factors, 

 of which there are a great many, but I shall only take time 

 to cover those which I consider the most important or hav- 

 ing the greatest influence toward bringing about this result, 

 the annual bearing of trees. In the first place, let us con- 

 sider pruning and its effect upon annual bearing, and I am 

 going to ask you to carry in your mind, all through my talk 

 this afternoon., the idea of maintaining a balance between 

 fruit and wood growth, or wood growth and fruit. We 

 know it is the natural thing for an apple tree to grow and to 

 bear fruit, but, mind you, the growth comes first; the second 

 consideration is the fruit. Therefore, it is important that 

 we maintain a balance betAveen this wood growth and fruit, 

 or else the balance Avould be on the side of wood rather than 

 fruit. So. in taking up the subject of pruning, I am just 

 going to touch on the various orchard practises wiiich I con- 

 sider to have the largest influence in bringing about this 



