254 THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



uniform age. Quite a large section has only recently been 

 planted to trees. Still another section has been cut back and 

 the trees re-budded, thus throwing the trees out of bearing 

 for this year. A corps of workmen were budding in a section 

 of the orchard the day of the field meeting, which was an in- 

 teresting feature of the occasion to many of th-e visitors. 



This orchard is remarkable for clean culture. The spaces 

 between trees were as free from grass and weeds as a well- 

 kept flower garden. Four teams are kept constantly at work 

 in this orchard. Spring-tooth harrows are in constant use. 

 riie harrow's are spread in such a way that the soil is worked 

 close up to the body of the trees. Very little hand hoeing 

 is done around the trees. Strange as it may seem, there is a 

 noticeable absence of injury to the bark. This is due to the 

 careful work of the men who operate the harrow. Another 

 notable feature of this orchard is the close setting of the trees 

 — 240 trees to the acre. Although the main portion of the or- 

 chard is only four years old the trees quite come together in the 

 narrow alleys, and unless cut back they will meet in the wider 

 alleys by another year. This style of culture was widely com- 

 mented upon, and the more experienced growers present 

 were of the opinion that the owners of the orchard knew 

 what they were doing. 



The system of culture followed in this orchard is that of 

 thorough cultivation during the growing season. The soil is 

 kept mellow and free from weeds by constant harrowing. The 

 last of the harrowing was being done the day of the field 

 meeting and the sowing of crimson clover had begun. Clover 

 is broadcasted among the trees and worked into the seed bed 

 with a weeder drawn by one horse. By the time the orchard 

 is ready to be plowed agahi the clover will have made a good 

 stand, thus insuring a gcod cover crop for plowing under. 

 Clover plays an important part in the management of this 

 orchard, as it does in all modern systems of crop culture. Some 

 growers present were inclined to the opinion that the owners 

 of the orchard had prolonged the season of culture and had 



