MIDDLETOIVN INSTITUTE 143 



first grade fruit. To my mind many of these old neglected orchards it 

 will never pay to try to put in good shape again. The same labor and 

 expense put upon new ones will prove more profitable at the end of a 

 series of years. Still there are many, not yet past redemption, that 

 should be given a very severe pruning and thinning. Scrape and clean 

 them up ; after that feed the trees well and work up the land, if 

 possible. 



The land in Connecticut suitable for apple culture is not limited. 

 Any land that is tillable, and not too wet, as light sand, will produce 

 apples. If high, exposed hills are used, wind-breaks should be planted 

 around and through the orchard. There is also much land not called 

 tillable that could be made more profitable in apples than in any other 

 way. For the best 'success, take the most desirable field, put it in 

 good shape, and, after planting, follow with as good cultivation as for 

 any other crop. Orchards planted the usual distances can be cropped 

 for several years if properly fed. Or the trees may be planted much 

 closer, giving the land up almost wholly to them, and thinned out when 

 necessary. 



If trees with straight trunks are wanted from the first, then plant 

 the whole orchard to varieties that are thrifty growers, and top-graft 

 the second year to such kinds as are needed. Pruning should begin 

 with the planting and be continued, giving most attention the first few 

 years to shaping the head and avoiding all crotches. After bearing size 

 is reached, thinning out and keeping the head open is the most impor- 

 tant point. A bearing orchard will hardly need a very thorough trim- 

 ming more than every other year. 



In either young or old orchards begin at once the war against 

 disease, and, in the old ones at least, against insects as well. Right 

 here rests the success or failure of growing apples, and here only 

 thorough work will be successful. We may possibly grow fairly good 

 apples with little or no cultivation, but the insects and diseases must 

 be looked after. 



We have to begin with codlin-moth, canker-worm, tent caterpillar, 

 oyster-shell bark-louse, probably bud-moth and aphis ; and with any, or 

 all, apple scab is sure to be on hand. But against all these troubles 

 we can protect ourselves with one process, and with nearly the same 

 materials at the same operation. From all except bark-scale and 

 aphis, the use of Bordeaux mixture and Paris green will protect us, if 

 the spraying is repeated about four times ; for the others we must use 

 kerosene preparations. It seems probable that the new pumps will be 

 able to do away with the use of emulsion. 



Thinning apples is a work that will be a part of successful apple 

 culture in the future. Mr. Clark, of Massachusetts, showed at our last 

 annual meeting that it is both practicable and profitable. Certainly it 

 w'ould take no longer to pick the apples when small than later, and one 

 could avoid the growing of wormy and misshapen specimens. I think 

 the same apparatus that I have found a great help in picking apples 

 could be used here ; that is, a one-horse, high-platform wagon, with 



