68 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



point is clear and the steps leading thereto must necessarily re- 

 quire individual investigation and interpretation. The attempt 

 to unify all practices and methods of treatment must in some 

 cases lead to failure. It is as necessary that one ascertain wherein 

 his soil is deficient as that he feed it intelligently when the facts 

 are established. Xo analysis can reach this. It must be solved 

 by individual experimentation. The extremist admits no line of 

 action but that of cultivation; the grower finds equally as good 

 results by mulching, thereby proving the wonderful adjustability 

 of nature, but no man ever succeeded by neglect of any particular. 

 "But," says one, "my old trees are poor in quality, not wanted 

 in the market, what shall I do?" 



Restore your trees, then graft to that variety which thrives 

 best in your locality, is of the right color, and has good quality. 

 Never use a scion simply because it came from a tree of the desired 

 variety. Make certain that it represents reproductive power; 

 that it came from a tree of high colored, typical fruit of choice 

 quality. The scion from a Baldwin tree giving an average of ten 

 barrels yearly for five years is more certain to give satisfaction 

 than from a more attractive tree yielding ten barrels in five years. 

 Only recently have we been aroused to the importance of this 

 principle recognized everywhere in the breeding of pure bred stock. 

 Viewed from a business standpoint, every item must be considered 

 and the value of this one of selecting scions cannot be magnified. 

 Use none except from trees known to have been persistent bearers 

 of the right type of fruit. 



The quality of New England fruit is superior, but it is made 

 so only by feeding, pruning, protecting, spraying, and caring for 

 tree and fruit in such manner as to promote best growth and high- 

 est quality. Whether, in reaching after this end, one relies on 

 barn manures or chemicals, the lesson is the same, the food supply 

 must be adjusted to the balancing of tree and soil, and the stimu- 

 lating of that which each tree or the fruit is deficient in. When 

 this balance is struck we approach ideal quality and always liberal 

 quantity. 



Looking at the proposition from a commercial standpoint the 

 value of a tree is proportionate to its normal capacity to produce 

 and yet maintain its powers. Every old tree in rugged, healthy 



