APPLE GROWING IN NEW ENGLAND. 35 



2nd. Set varieties of good quality. In a country like ours 

 which can produce good quality it is ridiculous to throw that ad- 

 vantage to the winds and try to compete with Colorado in growing 

 Ben Davis. 



3rd. Select prolific varieties. There is little satisfaction in 

 growing even the best variety if it does n't bear and bear well. 



I shall not discuss, in detail, the elements of successful culture 

 though they are of vital importance. In my opinion the best fruit 

 cannot be grown without intelligent cultivation, pruning, spraying, 

 and fertilizing, but each one is a subject in itself. 



The last and most vital element in profitable orcharding which 

 I shall mention, and the one in which it seems to me that our growers 

 most often fail, is the handling and packing of the fruit. I believe 

 it is this more than anything else which has so largely given our 

 markets over to the Oregon and Washington growers. They pack 

 with the utmost care; every fruit is perfect and is handled perfectly. 

 Ours is too often roughly handled, is packed in barrels where it is 

 still further damaged, and reaches the consumer in anything but 

 an attractive condition. If we will adopt western methods of 

 picking and packing I feel sure that we can rely on Massachusetts 

 quality to more than offset Oregon appearance. 



Discussion. 



A lady inquired as to the proper pruning of a tree at time of 

 planting. 



Prof. Sears replied that it was best to begin with a severe pruning 

 and by heading low. Then head back one-third to one-half the 

 growth for the first five years. After that it is a matter of thinning 

 out in order to develop the fruit buds. 



Samuel H. Warren said he had the San Jose scale on several of 

 his trees and asked how often it was necessary to spray, and if 

 there were any parasites for keeping the scale in check. 



Prof. Sears recommended spraying with the lime and sulphur 

 wash every year, in the late winter or early spring. This will keep 

 the trees in good condition and one application a season is all that 

 is necessary. 



