no THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



and mature a good crop of buds for the year to come. 

 Consequently such a tree blossoms but little, and when 

 there are blossoms, they often fail from sheer weakness. 



Another cause of weakness is lack of sufficient food. 

 I believe I am safe in saying that food alone will not 

 overcome this bud weakness unless a healthy foliage goes 

 with it. Further aid in strengthening the buds may be 

 given by pruning useless branches and thinning useless 

 fruit. The latter may be hard to practice, but the benefits 

 are seen, not only in the existing crop, but also in the 

 crops that come after. The pruning off of useless branches 

 reduces the number of leaves and buds, thus tending to make 

 those that are left stronger ; it also admits light and air. 



I believe I have spoken only incidentally of bees as 

 transmitters of pollen. I have no doubt that they play a 

 very important part in it. Several writers have claimed 

 that during the last season of good bloom but unprece- 

 dented failure of apples to set, they saw good results from 

 having hives of bees in the orchards. 



Now, to summarize a little and to recall the conditions 

 which are favorable to the setting of fruit, which are also 

 partly or entirely under our control : First, plant different 

 varieties near one another, that pollen may intermingle ; 

 second, feed the soil; third, obtain healthy foliage and 

 bud ; fourth, supply bees. 



As regards the orchards of Connecticut today, with the 

 exception of peaches and Japan plums, it seems to me 

 that the problems we have most need to heed are the food 

 and foliage problems. 



The food problem is too much for me to talk about 

 very intelligently, but I have a leaning toward the idea 

 that we must not omit the potash. Dr. Jenkins is right 

 at home on this question, and I expect this afternoon he 

 will tell us what plant-food to use to get the strong, healthy 

 bud. 



The foliage, of course, has many enemies, and I cannot 

 speak of them all. The apple scab, like all fungi, yields 

 to the Bordeaux mixture. Two sprayings, or even one, 

 will do a wonderful amount of good, and effects will be 

 greater the second and third year than the first. Who 



