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all wormy or imperfect specimens, leaving only one fruit on 

 a spur or the apples not closer than five or six inches apart. 

 The first year that I attempted it the neighbors for miles 

 around came to see the lunatic who picked his winter apples 

 in the summer, and yet in the fall when the demonstration 

 was planned, these same people allowed that there might be 

 something in it after all. It is not such an expensive task 

 as one who had not tried it would imagine. 



I would say that, on an average, trees yielding from 

 seven to nine barrels cost us from 35 to 50 per tree to thor- 

 oughly thin, yet the percentage of culls in the fruit was 

 slight, the apples were larger, and the trees were relieved of 

 a great strain. Then again we are getting our trees, year by 

 year, down more nearly to annual bearing. 



I have photographs showing reclaimed trees, also some 

 kindly loaned by Prof. Maynard. 



DISCUSSION 



Quest. This orchard was, I understand, an orchard of 

 200 trees, 35 years old? 

 Mr. Drew. Yes. 



Do you practice heading the inside branches? 

 Yes ; if they go out too far. 



Have you found it necessary to prop these trees? 

 Yes. 



Do you apply fertilizer all at once or at different times? 



Generally all at once. If the trees are not making 

 progress, I sometimes put on two applications. 



Would it be well where the trees bear only every other 

 year to put on fertilizer in the fall? 



I think so. 



When should the trees be cut back? 



Most of them in the spring of the year. In February or 

 March, but it is advisable to follow this up by considerable 

 summer pruning. 



How do you keep the water sprouts back? 

 Thin out and head back. 

 How far head back? 

 Just as one thinks best. 

 What is the best time to trim? 



I don't know. I have generally done it in February and 

 March. 



