250 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



study and good business practice that he is inaugurating ; 

 they will find both pleasure and profit in following his ex- 

 ample. 



The day of cheap land is rapidly passing, and when finer 

 fruit is produced, better horses, better cattle, better wheat 

 and other productions of a higher grade, all of which call 

 for better and stronger men to develop, the value of land 

 will be better understood and it will be more actively 

 sought after, as present tendencies clearly indicate. 



Question. When would you turn in the crimson clover 

 to get the largest amount of plant food from it ? 



Mr. Powell. Always as early in the spring as possible. 

 I get the autumn growth. Between the 1st and 5th of July 

 cultivation ceases in my orchards. This season has been 

 favorable to a good growth of crimson clover, and I have it 

 six to eight inches in height, and it thoroughly covers the 

 ground for the winter. I want no growth in the spring. 

 Why ? for every day the plant grows, it is pumping up the 

 water, and that I don't want, so I plow it as quickly as the 

 soil will admit. 



Question. Why not plow it in the fall'? 



Mr. Powell. I want this cover for the soil. I don't want 

 to plow it up and leave it to the action of the winter. 



Question. What do you do about mice? 



Mr. Powell. Mice do not come to that kind of ground. 

 You find mice in old meadows, but not in new, fresh, grow- 

 ing clover. We have no trouble whatever from mice. 



Question. Would there be any advantage in using seeds 

 of the Northern Spy for propagation ? 



Mr. Powell. I am not able to judge of that point, but 

 I don't know that there would be any particular advantage 

 in using Northern Spy seeds, because most seeds will pro- 

 duce a good tree. I think it would be of value upon the 

 line of breeding to follow on the line of the Spy seed. The 

 French stocks are considered better than the American stocks, 

 because they are stronger and more vigorous. 



Question. Is the Jonathan a long keeper? 



Mr. Powell. Yes ; it will keep on my farm up and into 



