STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 45 



Something- was said bv Mr. Dawes. I think, about young trees. 

 I have an idea — I don't think it is all theory either, but I have 

 had no opportunity of demonstrating it. — but I have an idea that 

 a voung tree, the thing it needs first of all when we set it into the 

 ground is something that will start it to growing, and when you 

 get it once started nature will go a long way to keep up the 

 growth. I have tried this in the transplanting of plants about 

 mv garden for quite a good many years. Set out a cabbage 

 plant and put on a little nitrate of soda dissolved in water, and 

 it is surprising how quick it will start growing. — the plant hardly 

 knows it has been transferred at all. And oftentimes you can 

 see that the plant transferred will grow faster, commence almost 

 immediately, than the one beside it where it stood before, show- 

 ing that a little of this will give the plant just what it needs. I 

 think the same is true in connection with young trees, and I 

 believe that we are going to learn to put something of that kind 

 upon young trees to give them a start. 



Dr. 'i'wiTCHELL : I am very glad to. hear ]\Ir. Knowlton 

 emphasize the value of poultry. There are some perhaps in the 

 audience who remember that years ago I used to do some- 

 thing ni Somerset count}- in poultry growing, and I think there 

 are one or two who were interested then somewhat in carrying 

 it forward. I think it is also well that a word of caution, 

 although it may not appear just in that form, should be offered 

 hy those who believe in the home supply as a means of fertiliza- 

 tion. It seems easy for us to go into the market and buy, but 

 the money must come from somewhere, while that of course 

 must come from the growing of other crops, what can be pro- 

 duced upon the farm, and with apparently little expense and will 

 give us the results desired. An illustration came to my notice 

 this summer which made such a marked impression on my mind 

 that I cannot resist the temptation of giving it. Six years ago 

 1 visited in the eastern part of the State, twelve miles from East- 

 port, way back among the hills, a farmer who had commenced 

 keeping poultry. I found he had about 2,500 hens, carrying the 

 chickens necessary to continue his flock. They were being kept 

 in the most primitive manner, raising his chickens in barrels out 

 imder the plum and apple trees. The hens were running in old 

 buildings, inexpensively built 1)_\' him at low cost. Rut he was 



