STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 53 



about some other characters of tree and fruit in these two 

 halves of the same orchard? The fruit from the sod land ran 

 434 apples to the barrel, that from the tilled ground 309. Our 

 markets today are demanding larger fruit. It is juicier and 

 better. Oregon growers who pack only in boxes say that the 

 demand for 3^ and 4 tier apples is increasing. Consvimers 

 want it in place of 45^ and 5 tier fruit. When we grow fruit 

 for the market we have got to reckon with the consumer. In 

 common storage fruit from the cultivated orchard kept 4 weeks 

 longer than that from sod land. Here where our best prices 

 come late in the season 4 weeks difference in keeping quality 

 counts for a great deal. Fruit from the trees in sod was more 

 highly colored than that from tilled land. The average gain 

 in diameter of the trunk during the 5 years the trees were in 

 sod was I.I inches; of the trees in cultivated soil 2.1 inches. 

 The average annual growth of branches for the sodded trees 

 was less than 2 inches, of the tilled trees 4. The leaves of the 

 tilled trees came out several days earlier and remained on near- 

 ly two weeks longer than those on the others. They were larger 

 and of better color indicating better health. The roots of the 

 sodded trees were nearer the surface where they are more sub- 

 ject to drouth and winter killing. 



"But," you say, "this is only one New York orchard. Is 

 what is true about tillage and sod in this instance true gener- 

 ally?" The answer is "Yes;" and at this point I can do no 

 better than call your attention to a set of figures presented at our 

 Pomological Society meeting last year by Professor Craig.* 



Yield in bushels per acre — -a 5-year average. 



Orleans Co. Niagara Co. 



*Rept. Me. Pom. Soc, 1908-9, P. 96. 



