REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FRUITS. 1 77 



orchards, both in splendid condition. One of these, which is about twenty 

 years old and owned by Mr. Lyman F. Priest of Gleasondale, shows a fine 

 example of the sod or uncultivated orchard. The trees have never been 

 cultivated since coining into bearing, but a fertile condition of the soil has 

 been maintained by the application of manure, sulphate of potash, bone 

 meal, and lime. This is broad-casted over the orchard. The hay crop 

 is cut and removed; spraying, pruning, and thinning the fruit, and all 

 other scientific orchard methods are practised; with the result that a 

 product is obtained which commands the best prices and makes a market 

 for itself. 



The varieties grown by Mr. Priest are Mcintosh, Wealthy, Gravenstein, 

 Roxbury Russet, Rolfe, Hyslop Crab, and Yellow Transparent. Probably 

 nowhere in the East can apples be found that compare in quality, size, 

 and color to those produced in this orchard. Our .Society has had abundant 

 proof of this in the specimens exhibited here by Mr. Priest. 



The second of the commercial orchards is of about the same age as the 

 one just described, and is owned by Mr. E. Cyrus Miller of Haydenville. 

 In this orchard only one variety of apples is raised to sell. The orchard 

 is partially cultivated; that is a strip of sod is left under the trees while 

 the strip of ground in the open is cultivated. The fertilizers used are 

 largely stable manure and wood ashes. The trees show good health, are 

 free from insects, and well pruned, but the fruit of this Haydenville orchard 

 is not of as high quality as that at Mr. Priest's and is shipped principally 

 to the wholesale markets. 



The orchard of Mr. Edward E. Cole of Greenbush belongs to an entirely 

 different class from the two we have already mentioned, having been 

 planted for a home orchard, and containing many varieties of apples such 

 as Baldwin, Rhode Island Greening, Northern Spy, Maiden Blush, Alex- 

 ander, Roxbury Russet, Chenango, and Fameuse. This orchard is in sod 

 and has never been cultivated. The fertilizers used are manure, nitrate of 

 soda, sulphate of potash, and bone meal, sown broadcast over the ground. 



Careful methods of orcharding are used by Mr. Cole, such as spraying, 

 pruning, and thinning the fruit, and one seldom sees a better grade of 

 apples than that which comes from these trees. The fruit is very care- 

 fully picked, too, and what is not used by the family commands a high 

 price. 



The Society has seen some good examples of Mr. Cole's fruit in the past 

 few years at its exhibitions. 



The last, orchard entered was of old trees, many of them over fifty years 

 of age, and until within five years practically worthless. The owner of 

 this orchard, Mr. George F. Root of Concord, began work on it when it 

 was in the worst possible condition and by pruning, spraying, and thor- 

 oughly ridding the trees of dead bark, lichens, etc. has entirely changed 

 their appearance and materially improved their condition. The ground 

 about the trees was then ploughed and successive crops of clover, cowpeas, 

 and buckwheat were turned under during three seasons, and a dressing 



