1881.] TRANSACTIONS. 63 



pect for Thanksgiving pies is forlorn enough, while that " de- 

 licions maid " must perforce seek the initials of the coming man 

 through some readier response than she is likely to extort from a 

 casual involution of the paring. Yet, there may be a compensa. 

 tion. The overburdened trees are resting, as well as storing up 

 vigor for the crop that may be calculated upon, with reasonable 

 certainty, in the course of the next even year. Shall that crop, 

 if pe rmitted to be excessive, be wasted, like too many that are 

 within memory ? Or rather shall not the Horticulturist control 

 this drain upon fecundity, by regulating its exactions, thinning 

 out poor and more especially superfluous specimens ? And in- 

 flexibly adiiering to a fixed purpose of putting a limit to the yield 

 of each tree in the entire orchard ? Will it require too much 

 labor ? Possibly, if that labor is not remunerated. But has any 

 one present ever tried the experiment, for a series of years, so 

 as to determine, with absolute assurance, what effect, if any, such 

 heroic treatment would have upon an orchard ? The writer has 

 gathered ten (10) barrels of the Baldwin from a single tree ; a 

 yield which is often exceeded. Suppose now that one-half of 

 that crop had been picked, shortly after they were formed ! 

 Does any one doubt that the select remainder would have filled 

 as many barrels ; would have drawn, perhaps, as hardly upon 

 the vigor of the tree ; but still, through superior size and en- 

 hanced conditions of flavor and form, would have commanded a 

 higher price in the market ! Suppose, however, yet further, that 

 the yield were restricted to what the tree ought to bear ; and 

 who ever had, or will have the courage to thin to that extent ? 

 have you not faith that a demand would arise where none existed 

 before ; and that the very tempting appearance and evident high 

 quality of the specimens must attract and secure purchasers ? 

 What return do you expect from an acre of land set in Apple 

 trees ? Has pomological covetousness no other limit than that 



"They shall get who have the power; 

 And they shall keep who can ? " 



Will not one dollar per barrel, net, pay a fair return, should 



you get five (5) barrels from a tree ? But if, contenting yourself 



with a less yield, of still improved quality, you could manage to 



obtain such a return each, instead of every other, year, can you 



