1906] REPORT OF COMMITTEES. 73 



strawberries. Would like to say that I do not know of abetter 

 strawberry farm than that of Mr. Ward within twenty miles of 

 this city. 



My line of work brings me around the city and I have been 

 impressed with the condition of our orchards. We at one time 

 had fine orchards and these orchards are now going to decay. 

 I think it would be well to look after the trees now standing 

 and see if we cannot rejuvenate these orchards. Why not be 

 at work getting these trees in condition for spraying ? The way 

 of treating is open to some difference of opinion. In the cut- 

 ting of trees I always use something to cover the place where it 

 is cut and the tree will gradually heal. It is terrible how some 

 of our trees have been butchered. This matter of cutting off 

 limbs and covering them is all important. 



Regarding the matter of cultivation, some think if they place 

 fertilizers around the trunk of the trees they have done all that 

 is necessary, forgetting that the tree begins to take in its 

 nourishment from the ends of the roots. I use 400 pounds of 

 muriate of potash, 200 pounds of nitrate of soda, and 400 

 pounds of ground bone for fertilizing an orchard. 



Mr. Fiske, of Grafton : I have raised peaches considerably 

 and perhaps my views are somewhat different from those of 

 others. I believe that the peach yellows is the greatest draw- 

 back that we have in raising peaches here. The climate is 

 perhaps somewhat against us but I don't know but we are in as 

 good shape as they are in some other parts of the country. We 

 have grown peaches on our farm ever since I can remember, 

 and there has not been a year but that we have had some 

 peaches. I am inclined to think that on hilly land peaches are 

 raised as successfully as in sections like New Jersey and Dela- 

 ware, where they have made a specialty of raising peaches for 

 several years. Down there they ^^ have peach borers to contend 

 with. I came near having some kind of a borer that I found in 

 some plum trees that I bought from Minnesota. I took hold 

 of them in time, however, and prevented their doing any 

 damage. 



In regard to peach culture, I plan my orchard so that I will 



