106 MASSACHTSETTS HOETICrXTTTRAT. SOCEETT. 



they are insipid and have not the spirit and high flavor desired in 

 cooking-apples, and which ours possess. It behooves us to make 

 the most of these facts, and now. to aid in doing so. comes in the 

 plan of utilizing waste lands. Apples from strong, rocky pasture 

 lands are superior in quality to those grown on rich, moist soils. 

 It is rare now to see a young orchard : farmers were discouraged, 

 by the glutted condition of the market a few years ago. from plant- 

 ing them, and have neglected those previously planted ; but it is 

 time now to begin again. People do not like to give their best land 

 to orchards, but, if they can be brought to see that waste lands 

 may yield apples, they will plant. The speaker has acted on Pro- 

 fessor Maynard's plan. He has planted Baldwin trees in pasture 

 land on portions inaccessible to the plough. 



O.B.Hadwen said that Professor Maynard had introduced a feat- 

 ure of fruit growing which most of us had not thought of. There is 

 a verj- large area of land in this State, such as rocky land where rich 

 soil has accumulated in the hollows, that is better fitted for apple 

 growing than for anvthing else. Apples are not the most profitable 

 crop on the best Ian 1, but if they can be grown on comparatively 

 waste land when properly enriched, it will be a gain, for a barrel 

 of apples is better than an empty barrel. The speaker was favor- 

 ably impresseti by Professor Maynard's idea of pruninsT apple trees 

 so as to keep them well in hand. There is a doubt whether the culti- 

 vation of apples can keep pace with the foreign demand, and if 

 anything can be done to supply it from our waste lands it should 

 be done. 



William C. Strong was not surprised at the hesitancy shown in 

 speaking on the subject, as the view presented was new to most of 

 those present. Most of the land of the members of the Society is 

 smooth and rich, and they had not anticipated that waste lands were 

 to come into competition with their long-subdued and tilled lands. 

 The speaker had great respect for the opinions of Professor Maynard 

 and Mr. Ha Iwen. and admitted that what they had said has force. 

 Professor Maynard indicated that such places as he described are es- 

 pecially suited to the apple, which is similar in its nature to forest 

 trees ; and possibly standard pears may be included. But the idea 

 of cutting away brush and digging little holes to plnnt fruit trees 

 sounds strange to us. yet when it comes from a gentleman of such 

 good sense it must, have weight. Still the speaker felt that the 

 first-prize fruit would continue to come from cultivated orchards. 

 though it might not always be of the finest quality for the table ; and 



