STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. lOI 



showed spray injury to varying degrees. The seasonal condi- 

 tions at spraying time are to be held responsible for the greater 

 part of the damage. The results on the lime-sulphur plots were 

 so markedly superior, that it was substituted for bordeaux in 

 the general spraying of this past season. In order that I may 

 not encroach upon your time, let me say that the results of last 

 year's and this season's spraying experiment will be available 

 to you before long as a bulletin of the Experiment Station. 



The work of the season just passed has been a repetition of 

 the preceding one in point of general orchard management — 

 early and repeated cultivation, spraying, borer huntmg, pruning, 

 fertilizing. This year but looo pounds of a high grade, chemi- 

 cal fertilizer were applied per acre, and this season such appli- 

 cation was made on the plots pastured to animals as well as on 

 the sod plot. 



In addition to the continuation of the experiments of the pre- 

 ceding season and a spraying experiment revised on the basis 

 of the first year's results, including co-operative work at Greene, 

 the new work along horticultural lines has been the inauguration 

 in collaboration with the department of Biology, of an experi- 

 ment in the breeding of apples. This has for its object the 

 accumulation of scientific data bearing on the problems of 

 heredity in general and their application to apple production in 

 particular, with special reference to the production of an apple 

 more particularly suited for commercial purposes under Maine 

 conditions than any of the standard varieties now grown. Time 

 alone can tell what the results may be. At present the work is 

 in its inception. Crosses have been made, and fruits obtained. 

 Seedlings are also being studied in connection with this problem. 



The beginning of another study bearing definitely upon Maine 

 conditions may be seen in a nursery of 3000 trees set out the 

 past spring. These are to be the basis of a fundamental experi- 

 ment dealing with the moot question of the relation of stock and 

 scion. 



Two separate divisions of the orchard have this season been 

 devoted to an experiment with a fertilizer excessively high in ni- 

 trogen, similar to the well known Fisher formula, comparing the 

 former with one more evenly balanced in its constituents. This 

 being its first year, no definite results have appeared. 



