ELEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 63 



Now on the question of mulching. When you first commence 

 put it about the tree, and then spread it out as they continue 

 to grow larger. As the trees in the orchard get larger you will 

 find a little go a great ways. And right here is another point. 

 By this method we can leave your apples on the tree and you 

 needn't be afraid of the rain knocking them off' when they 

 commence to ripen. So you can leave the apples on the tree 

 until they have got ripe. 



If a storm knocks any of them oft it don't hurt them any. 

 I have picked them right up off this mulch in that way and 

 taken them to Syracuse and got a dollar and a half for a bushel. 

 You see thev do not get into the dirt when they drop oft'. They 

 drop into a clean place, and it's soft, and it does not hurt them 

 any. If they dropped into the dirt some of them would be 

 an entire loss. That is a great advantage because you can leave 

 your apples on until they get into a condition just as the trade 

 wants them, and then when you can go into market that way 

 you are a pretty good fellow. It strikes me anything you can 

 do to get that condition you had better do it. You can get 

 just what is wanted, and when the people get a taste of them 

 they are sure to want more.. That has been my experience. It 

 is quality you are after. As the trees grow I keep carrying 

 the mulch out a little ways so it is all around. When the fruit 

 commences to come then you see there is a lot of fine grass 

 formed in the whole orchard and the apples will drop anywhere 

 and it don't do them any damage. If the apples fall they are 

 not broken. Of those that drop at least nine-tenths of them 

 would be marketable. 



The President: Do you get size enough on your apples? 



Mr. Hitchixgs: Yes, sir, plenty of it. 



The President: Do you get a good yield? What is the 

 yield if you can tell? 



]\Ir. Hitchings : Well, of course it varies, but about 300 

 bushels to the acre. ~\[ost of these trees have been set some 

 time. I commenced with 180 trees and have been setting since. 

 Those that are in full bearing yield about 300 bushels to the 

 acre. 



Mr. Tuck: About what price do you get on the average? 



Mr. Hitchings: About $1.50 on the average. It depends 

 upon the market of course. If vou have got the right kind of 



