STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 75 



would be to try a few trees each year, for the present, keep an 

 exact account of the cost and watch the results. Then if it will 

 pay on a few trees, for a series of years, it will pay 

 to go through the whole orchard. It may be one of 

 those things which we have to guard against, as we 

 guard against the loss of our buildings or other property 

 by fire, a kind of insurance. 



There are many farmers and fruit growers who are seeking 

 information regarding the fertilization of their orchards without 

 the aid of barn dressing and if possible we would like to have it 

 brought out at this meeting in plain terms if anyone knows what 

 it is; just what to buy, where it can be found, how to mix it, if 

 it requires mixing, how much to apply and how to apply it. 

 Information covering the points suggested will be appreciated 

 by the farmer who cannot see his way clear to keep up the fer- 

 tility of his farm as it should be, and still care for the orchard. 

 The low price that has ruled for apples the past season will prob- 

 ably have a tendency to cause those having the care of trees to 

 neglect them, claiming that good care does not pay; but such is 

 not the case. This is an exceptional year. The probabilities 

 are that in one short year from now the Baldwin apple will be 

 at a premium ; few fruit growers, we apprehend, will be at a loss 

 to find a place to put the crop or find trouble in disposing of it. 

 Therefore we must give close attention to the trees, see to it that 

 they are properly pruned and fertilized, retop the varieties that 

 are not paying a profit in ordinary years, if they have a suitable 

 stock, if not, cut them out in most cases, as the fruit grower as 

 well as the general farmer of the future will be obliged to look 

 after such things, and lop off all branches and stop all practices 

 that do not pay, in order to succeed. 



We would like to again call the attention of our society to the 

 subject of holding a summer meeting. It would seem to us 

 that more attention should be given our earlier summer fruits. 

 Our State is thoroughly adapted, both in soil and climate, to the 

 raising of many of the small fruits in their highest perfection, 

 and there are few things that we raise from the soil that give 

 greater satisfaction in a family than an abundance of strawber- 

 ries and raspberries of the various sorts, black-caps, reds, yellow 

 and last but not least, the Schaflfers' Colossal; then the currant. 



