THE APPLE IN MASSACHUSETTS 99 



in tlie most highly specialized fruit section of the state dairying is almost as 

 iinjiortant a source of income as fruit. 



In the western part of the state, especially in Franklin County, dairying is 

 more important than fruit, and these two items make up 95 per cent of the 

 income of the average grower. Sales of hay and wages from outside work 

 make up most of the remainder. In Hampshire and Hamjiden counties dairy- 

 ing is more important than fruit, hut poultry, vegetables, hay and other crops 

 furnish a large part of the total farm income. 



On most fruit farins there are not more than two i)rincii)al sources of 

 income. Fruit and dairying are most common in all sections of the state, 

 except in the areas close to Boston. In this section more attention is given 

 to vegetable crops, and fruit and vegetable gardening are the usual combina- 

 tion. This applies to those sections of Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk and 

 Plymouth counties within easy trucking distance of Boston and its suliurbs. 

 In other .sections, fruit and poultry make a profitable combination on the 

 farm with a moderate size of orchard. 



Many specialized growers are combining orchard fruits with small fruits. 

 Raspberries, currants and strawberries are usually planted, and peaches have 

 been successful in a few sections. 



Orchard Practice 



A jiart of the survey was concerned with the usual orchard practices com- 

 mon among fruit growers in various sections. The results show to what de- 

 gree scientific methods have been adopted as well as the practices of success- 

 ful growers. 



Pruninff 



It was found that 81 per cent of the growers prune every year, although 

 this figure is to some extent misleading, since many growers replied that they 

 "prune some every year". Many orchards are practically untouched and from 

 observation it is estimated that not over two-thirds of the trees are thoroughly 

 pruned every season. Fifteen per cent of the growers stated that they prune 

 only occasionally, while 1 per cent do not prune at all. 



Cultivation 



Over two-thirds of the orchards are in sod and one-third are handled by 

 clean cultivation or with a cover crop. Many growers reported on more 

 than one orchard, so that the actual number of bearing orchards in cultiva- 

 tion is only about 25 per cent of the total. A wide variety of cover crops 

 was reported, buckwheat, rye and millet being common. The usual practice 

 is to cultivate the young orchard, l)ut leave it in sod after it begins to bear. 



Fertilizer 



Three growers out of four apply fertilizer in some form every year. A 

 wide variety of materials is used, but nitrate of soda is the most conuuon, 60 

 per cent of the growers reporting its use. Over half of the growers use 

 barnyard manure. Acid phosphate is used by 7 per cent of the growers, while 

 4 per cent use a complete fertilizer. Only a few users of sulfate of ammonia 

 were found. Other growers reported the use of bone meal, wood ashes, 

 potash, tankage and wool scourings. Three per cent of the growers use no 

 fertilizer. 



