42 THE CONNECTICUT P0M0L0G1CAL SOCIETY. 



Reclaiming the Old Apple Orchard for the 

 Production of High Grade Fruit. 



By Geo. A. Drew, Greenwich. 



Mr. President and Members of the Society: Some time 

 ago your Secretary asked me if I would open this discussion 

 on the subject of reclaiming old orchards, and, without stop- 

 ping to think, I consented, little dreaming that I should be put 

 down on the program for a regular address. As my part of 

 the bargain was only to open the discussion, I will leave the 

 bulk of the subject to others who have had more experience 

 in this line than I have, but the subject of orchard renovation 

 is one of great fascination to me, and one of such vital inter- 

 est that I take pleasure in calling your attention to some of 

 my own experiences in this line. 



It is a sad sight to me to ride through different sections 

 of New England and behold orchards formerly productive 

 and profitable now neglected and going to decay. Why New 

 England farmers have been so unprogressive as to allow such 

 conditions to exist is hard to fathom. Can anyone tell me 

 of any more profitable section of the farm than a well cared 

 for orchard? Yet it is generally the most neglected of all 

 crops and the last to receive intelligent attention. 



Let us consider why these orchards have been so ne- 

 glected. Have the seasons and weather conditions changed 

 or more difficulties been encountered? Certain it is that the 

 difficulties encountered to-day are numerous yet not insur- 

 mountable. 



Whatever the cause, we are brought face to face with 

 the conditions as they exist and we ask ourselves what we 

 are going to do about it. Shall we continue to see the old 

 orchard decay, neglect to plant out new ones ; and see fruit 

 raised two or three thousand miles away, sold right under 

 our noses for two or three times what our own native fruit 

 brings and yet net these western growers a handsome profit 



